3 arrested with Sh3.5m elephant tusks in Mt Elgon
01 February 2024 – 13:40
Three suspects were Wednesday arrested as they tried to sell 35 kilos of elephant tusks valued at about Sh3.5 million at Kapsokwony market, Mt Elgon.
Police said the men were using a motorcycle to ferry the trophies when a team of Kenya Wildlife Service rangers and police pounced on them.
The team had to shoot into the air to scare and stop one of the suspects who tried to escape the scene.
The tusks were concealed inside a sack of potatoes.
A motorcycle that was being used to ferry the trophy and the suspects was detained and kept as an exhibit.
The three suspects aged 22, 37 and 40 were arrested.
Police said they will be charged with the offence of being in Possession of Wildlife Trophies of Endangered Species Contrary to Section 92(4) of the Wildlife Conservation Management Act 2013.
Officials said the seizure shows up to 10 elephants had been killed and there is a likelihood the incidents happened in the nearby Mt Elgon Forest.
Meanwhile, a court in Kithimani, Machakos, Wednesday sentenced two suspects to pay a fine of Sh20 million each and in default to serve 10 years imprisonment for the offence of having seven python skins and two crocodile skins.
The two were charged with the offence of being in possession of wildlife trophy contrary to section 92 of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act No. 47 of 2013.
The offence was committed on November 27, 2019, within Machakos where the accused were found in possession of the said game trophy.
While delivering the judgment, Principal Magistrate Paul Wechuli observed that all the six prosecution witnesses who testified adduced consistent and collaborative testimonies which the accused persons failed to shake during cross-examination.
