The below story by Clause Masika of The Star.
SEEJ-AFRICA THUMBNAIL:
- On April 29th, 2023, Tanzanian national, Morris Mure Kadilii, was arrested in the Magadi area near the Tanzanian border in the process of transporting two ivory tusks weighing 38 kg.
- The arrest by Kenya Wildlife Service was done in cooperation with Tanzanian counterparts.
- Kadilii pleaded guilty to the charge of dealing in wildlife trophies on May 9th and received a 7 year jail sentence before the Kahawa court.
- Kahawa law courts now take the brunt of ivory prosecutions from the Nairobi area and have done so since February 2022. SEEJ-AFRICA attended the sentencing.
Tanzanian jailed for seven years over possession of Sh3.8m ivory
Clause Masika, The Star
May 10, 2023
A Tanzanian national accused of possessing 38kg of Elephant tusks worth Sh3.8 million has been jailed for seven years by a Kahawa Law Court on his own plea of guilt.
Morris Mure Kadili was charged before Chief Magistrate Boaz Ombewa where he admitted to the offence.
The court heard that the accused person committed the offence on April 29 at around 8.20pm at Mbakasi area along the Kenyan-Tanzania border in Magadi Ward within Kajiado County.
The court heard that the accused person committed the offence alongside others who are still at large.
According to the facts read before the court by the prosecution, the accused was arrested after KWS officers were tipped off about his illegal activities.
The prosecution produced in court two whole pieces of elephant tusks which were seized from the accused during his arrest.
A certificate of weight measurement and an expert report to ascertain that the exhibits were indeed tusks were also presented in court.
The accused person agreed with the facts as read by the prosecution but added that the owner of the tusks had ran away.
“I was the carrier and not the owner, the owner managed to escape and I urge the court to forgive me,” he said.
Ombewa sentenced him to seven years in jail and gave him 14 days to appeal if he wished to do so.
