Today’s Court Update
#20. June 25th, 2024 (Hearing): The court has scheduled another hearing date of August 5th.
Case Overview
The accused were arrested for being in possession of wildlife trophy contrary to section 92(4) WCMA and dealing in wildlife trophy contrary to section 92 (2) WCMA.
Presiding Magistrate and Court: Hon. Daisy Mutua – Chief Magistrate Court 10 Previously: Hon. A. Mwangi – Chief Magistrate Court 1 Previously: Hon. E. Boke – Chief Magistrate – Court 2 | |
State Counsel: | Accused Advocate: |
Accused: Jane Wangui Kiarie Michael Kimeru Karanja Charles Njomo Okwach Daniel Musembi Kimilu | |
Charges:
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Date of Arrest: | Date of Arraignment: 14-3-2023 |
Location of Arrest: Wangige ,Kiambu County | Contraband Seized: 40 kg (15 pcs) |
Proceedings
#19. April 25th, 2024 (Hearing): The scheduled hearing did again, not take place. Today’s sitting was again moved to courtroom 7 and courtroom 10 was being utilized by the high court. All accused were present and they are now all out on bond.
Since the last hearing date, KWS has lost their file. The words of the prosecutor were that the file “was not available”. However, with the IO not present, or any other KWS witnesses, the prosecutor told the court that KWS will be advised to reconstitute from the court file.
The next hearing has been scheduled for June 25th, 2024.
#17.February 27th, 2024 (Hearing): Today’s hearing did not take place as the regular court 10 prosecutor was not present as he was covering two other courts. The matter was adjourned for hearing on April 11th, 2024.
#16. February 1st, 2024 (Mention): Hearing date set for February 27th, 2024.
#15. January 25th, 2024 (Hearing): Today’s hearing did not take place as courtroom 10 of Hon. Chief Magistrate Daisy Mutua was not sitting. The matter was heard in courtroom 3 and adjourned for a mention on February 1st, 2024 and a hearing on February 27th, 2024
#14. November 15th, 2023 (Hearing): The previously scheduled hearing date of December 15th was changed to this date. SEEJ was unaware and did not attend. We do not know if the hearing took place but the matter was adjourned to January 25th, 2024.
#13. October 24th, 2023 (Mention): Mr. Makori requested an adjournment as he had a number of cases at Kibera that morning. Adj to December 15th, 2023, for hearing at request of the Defence. The date was later changed to November 15th, 2024 without our knowledge so there was no attendance.
#12. October 18th, 2023 (Mention): The matter was set over for another mention on October 24th, 2023 (SEEJ-AFRICA was not in attendance)
#11. October 11th, 2023 (Mention): This was the first appearance before Chief Magistrate Daisy Mutua. All four accused were present. The second accused is still in custody.
The matter came up for a mention and all four accused person were present.
The second accused, who is still in custody (through his lawyer) was making a request to court to have someone (who was not in court) admitted by court as a surety. The court informed him that the person had to be presented in court.
The second accused was given a mention for the date October 18th, 2023 when the proposed surety is supposed to be in court with the necessary documents.
The hearing was scheduled for the 15th November, 2023.
#10. September 28th, 2023 (Hearing): This matter was coming up in court 1 for a hearing and a ruling to move the case to another court, court 10 which had less matters. The ruling was made to move the case to court 10. A mention date of October 11th, 2023 was set. (This was a first appearance by SEEJ-AFRICA)
by Cyrus Ombati, Crime Reporter, The Star
Four arrested with 15 pieces of elephant tusks in Kiambu
In Summary
Some of the elephant tusks that were seized in in Wangige, Kiambu County on March 12, 2023
Four people were arrested and 15 pieces of elephant tusks recovered following an intelligence-led operation in Wangige, Kiambu County.
The tusks were valued at about Sh4 million and weighed 40 kilograms.
In an operation mounted by police and Kenya Wildlife Service personnel, the 15 pieces of elephant tusks were recovered in the March 12 operation.
The four suspects had tried to sell the tusks to a man who posed as a possible buyer without knowing he was an agent.
The four were detained at King’eero police station pending arraignment in court on Monday, March 13, police said.
Officials say they have intensified the war against the trade of valuables in the recent past.
On January 28, a police officer was arrested over claims of trafficking elephant tusks worth Sh2.1 million.
The officer was arrested in Meru town while carrying 21 kilos of the tusks he allegedly intended to sell.
On January 9, five men were arrested in Ntulele, Narok County, while ferrying 32.9 kilos of elephant tusks worth about Sh3 million.
The five had concealed six pieces of the tusks in a sack of charcoal.
They were using two motorcycles to transport the tusks when they were stopped by Kenya Wildlife Service personnel and police.
On February 12, three suspects were arrested in Naivasha with tusks worth Sh5.8 million.
On March 3, a man was arrested with three pieces of the tusks in Mtito Andei, Kibwezi.
Officials say despite a ban on the international trade in ivory, African elephants are still being poached in large numbers.
As part of efforts to stop the menace, Kenya has started using high-tech surveillance equipment, including drones, to track poachers and keep tabs on elephants and rhinos.
KWS and stakeholders have put in place mechanisms to eradicate all forms of wildlife crime, particularly poaching.
These mechanisms include enhanced community education, interagency collaboration, and intensive intelligence-led operations.
These efforts led to zero rhino poaching in Kenya in 2020-the first time in about two decades.
At least 20,000 elephants are killed annually in Africa for their ivory. This translates to 55 elephants killed daily or one elephant killed every 26 minutes with a population of 35,000 elephants.
On April 30, 2016, Kenya set ablaze 105 tonnes of elephant ivory and 1.35 tonnes of rhino horn.
Former President Uhuru Kenyatta led world leaders and conservationists in burning the remains of 6,500 elephants and 450 rhinos killed for their tusks and horn.
Parliament has also passed strict anti-poaching laws and the government has beefed up security at parks to stop poaching, which threatens the vital tourism industry.
Regionally, Kenya has also emerged as a major transit route for ivory destined for Asian markets from eastern and central Africa.
The illegal ivory trade is mostly fuelled by demand in Asia and the Middle East, where elephant tusks and rhino horn are used to make ornaments and traditional medicines.
Four people arrested with 15 elephant tusks in Kiambu County
Elephant tusks recovered following an intelligence-led operation in Wangige, Kiambu County
Four people have been arrested and 15 pieces of elephant tusks recovered following an intelligence-led operation in Wangige, Kiambu County Sunday night.
The four suspects include Daniel Musembi Kimilu, Michael Kimeru Karanja, Charles Njomo Okwach and Jane Wangui Kiarie.
They are currently in custody at King’eero Police Station pending arraignment in court.
The operation was led by DCI officers and Kenya Wildlife Service personnel.
