A U.S.-based wildlife conservation group says authorities in Tanzania have arrested and charged eight people for the murder of the group's co-founder Wayne Lotter, who was shot in Dar es Salaam last year.

The PAMS Foundation on Friday congratulated police and prosecutors in the East African nation and said it is relieved that the suspects have been arrested.

In January, Tanzania's natural resources minister accused police of "dilly-dallying" and failing to arrest key suspects in the Aug. 16 killing of Lotter.

The foundation says the South African had helped to train many game scouts throughout Tanzania and developed effective ways to counter wildlife trafficking there.

Poachers have killed tens of thousands of elephants in Tanzania in the past decade.