December 21, 2024:
A Magistrates Court in Voi this past Friday sent two ivory traffickers to jail. Principal Magistrate C.K. Kithinji had ten days earlier found Salim Chibonja Myala, 45 years old, and Chivoro Ndamau Chivoro, 64 years of age, guilty of dealing in wildlife trophies of an endangered species. Chibonja Myala had also been found guilty with assault in resisting arrest.
The two accused had been arrested on December 14th, 2022, in the Buguta area, about an hour’s drive south of Voi, and found with 14 elephant tusks weighing 209.5 kg. During the process of arrest, Chibonja Myala stabbed the KWS officer who was acting as the under cover buyer in a failed attempt to escape. The tusks were found hidden in nearby bushes and at least one suspect escaped, It is believed to be the biggest ivory seizure by weight since the arrest date.
Over the course of the two year trial, the prosecution called six witnesses, four from KWS, one from the NPS and an expert from the National Museum of Kenya. While there were inconsistencies in testimony from the prosecution witnesses, the Honourable Magistrate believed there to be enough evidence to convict.
The second accused, Chivoro Ndamau Chivoro, insisted that he had been awoken from his bed at home at 2:00am by four men, two in uniform and two in plainclothes, who then searched his house and found nothing. He was then arrested and taken to Voi KWS post at Sophia where he met the Chibonja Myala for the first time.
Salim Chibonja Myala was sentenced to seven years imprisonment for dealing in wildlife trophies and another two years for the assault. The sentences will run consecutive to each other. Chivoro Ndamau Chivoro was also sentenced to seven years jail. Both accused have been on remand and in custody since their arrest date so their sentence will commence from date of arrest.
They have fourteen days to appeal.
