Three Arrested with 48 kg of Ivory
Written By: KNA, October 24, 2020 12:19, KBC News
SNAPSHOT:
- Police and KWS arrested 3 men in Kitale town in possession of 48 kg of ivory found in backpacks. Police had received information that the men were trying to sell the ivory and posed as buyers to make the arrest.
- On September 10th, 1 man was arrested in Kitale under similar circumstances trying to sell 14 kg of ivory.
- In late July, 3 men were arrested in the area ferrying ivory on a motorbike.
Police have arrested three suspected poachers and seized 48 kilograms of ivory estimated at Ksh 4.8 million in Trans Nzoia County.
Trans Nzoia County Police commander Fredrick Ochieng said the arrest followed from a tip-off from members of the public.
According to the police commander, the tusks were packed in three backpacks and the suspected poachers were looking for buyers when police and KWS officers moved in swiftly.
Ochieng said that the eight pieces of the elephant tusks looked fresh, indicating that the poaching took place recently.
“Acting on a tip-off from members of the public that there were people who were selling elephant tusks at around Aturkana hotel within Kitale town, police and KWS officers posed as potential buyers and went to the area where they arrested the suspects,” said Ochieng.
He added, “Our officers together with KWS posed as buyers and managed to intercept eight pieces of elephant tusks and arrested Edwin Nabiswa Wanyonyi, 31, Godfrey Ngura Tugongora, 23 and Solomon Churia Pokot, 37 with the tusks,” Ochieng added.
The police commander decried increasing cases of poaching in the region and thanked members of the public for volunteering information which led to the arrest of the suspects…………
