SEEJ-AFRICA THUMBNAIL:
- On January 7th, 2021, a man described as a “notorious poacher” was arrested ferrying 200 kg of bush meat on a motorcycle on the Isara – Sultan Hamud road.
- The accused, Morris Musyoka, had been previously been convicted in 2019 for game meat and wildlife trophy offences but served a shortened sentence due to Covid-19.
- Kajiado County continues to be a centre of wildlife poaching and trafficking incidents in the past 6 months.
Notorious Poacher Arrested in Kajiado (Kenya)
Rop Janet, Kenya News Agency
January 9, 2021
January 9th, 2021: A multi-agency team comprising of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) have arrested a notorious poacher in Kajiado.
The team managed to waylay the suspect, Morris Musyoka while transporting bush meat weighing approximately 200 kilograms using a motorcycle along the Isara-Sultan Hamud road Thursday night.
Musyoka had previously been arrested in 2019 and sentenced to serve one year behind bars by a Loitokitok court for trafficking game meat and trophies but was released in May 2020 under a decongestion exercise in prisons due to Covid-19.
The suspect who has been on the DCI trail is said to have been continuing with the illegal activity after he was released and managed to escape arrest on various occasions. He will be arraigned at a Kajiado court on Monday to answer to charges of illegal trading in game meat and poaching.
Cases of poaching have been on the increase in the county in the recent past and 42 suspected poachers have so far been arrested since 2020 and charged after being found in possession of game trophies and meat.
At the same time, 15 motor bikes and 3 vehicles were intercepted last year alone ferrying game meat, an indication that local butcheries could be selling game meat to unsuspecting consumers.
Last month, police in Enkorika, Mashuuru sub-county intercepted a motorcycle ferrying 300 kilograms of game meat. The meat suspected to be of zebras, dik diks, giraffes and antelopes was being transported for sale in Kajiado town. Three suspects ferrying the meat however managed to escape arrest on foot leaving the game meat behind.
In November 2020, a boda boda rider was arrested along the Nairobi- Namanga highway ferrying ivory products and elephant tusks with a street value of Sh10 million to a prospective buyer in Kajiado town.
Dennis Maheli Alina, was arrested with several pieces of raw ivory, necklaces, bungles, and sculptures, among other assorted items.
Kajiado County is surrounded by three national parks namely Nairobi, Amboseli and Tsavo and is also a host to several private wildlife sanctuaries.
The presence of the parks and the porous border with Tanzania has resulted to an increase in poaching activities with those involved in the trade sneaking the game meat and ivory through the Namanga and Loitokitok border.
