SEEJ-AFRICA THUMBNAIL:
- April 18th, 2021, Kenya Wildlife Service officers arrested a Kwale County clerical officer with 12 ivory tusk pieces weighing 35 kg.
- Josphat Mtoi Kuri tried to sell to undercover KWS investigators for ksh 100,000 per piece.
- The intelligence for this arrest came from Big Life Foundation-Kenya.
- He was arrested in the town of Kwale, in close proximity to Shimba Hills National Reserve.
- Kuri was arraigned in Kwale court on April 19th and is back in court on May 20th for mention. He is still in custody.
Kwale man arrested in possession of 12 elephant tusks
KBC Channel
April 19, 2021
A Kwale County government officer has been arrested by police officers after being found in illegal possession of 12 pieces of elephant tusks weighing 35 Kg in Matuga sub-county.
The 53-year-old county employee, Josphat Mtoi Kuri, works as a clerical officer in Kinango Sub County was arrested inside a local guest house by a team of security officers drawn from the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and Criminal Investigation Department Officers who have been trailing him for some days.
The undercover detectives disguised as customers arrested the suspect and handed him over to police headquarters in Kwale town for further investigations.
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Community warden officer Omar Muichande has confirmed the incident.
The officers had posed as buyers after tracking the suspect for a long time before nabbing him on Sunday evening.
Kuri wanted to sell the tusks at Sh 100,000 each but they have a higher street value than that according to Muichande.
The KWS warden said the lone suspect is believed to have gotten the elephant tusks after poaching activities inside the Kuranze ranches.
Police report reveals that tusks might have originated from Kuranze ranches within Kinango where three elephants are believed to have been killed.
He will be arraigned in court soon with possession of elephant tusks.
