Two charged with illegal possession of Sh6.2m tusks in Tana River
Two charged with illegal possession of Sh6.2m tusks in Tana River
Gilbert Koech, The Star
September 21, 2024
See link
https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2024-09-21-two-charged-with-illegal-possession-of-sh62m-tusks-in-tana-river/
for photos.
Two men were charged in a Garsen law court in Tana River county with
illegal possession of wildlife trophies of an endangered species.
Bosco Katana and Emmanuel Kazungu appeared before Garsen senior principal
magistrate Jambi Wasige and denied the offence of dealing in elephant
tusks, contrary to Section 92 of the Wildlife Conservation and Management
Act, 2013.
The suspects face Sh20 million fine or life imprisonment, or both, if
convicted.
They were charged that on September 15, 2024, at around 9.30pm at Minjila
area, Makuti hotel in Tana Delta subcounty, Tana River, with others not
before the court, they were found dealing in two pieces of elephant tusks
weighing 62.42kg with a street value of Sh 6,242,000, without a permit.
One tusk weighed 32.42kg and was 7.4 feet long, while the other weighed
30kg and was 6.5 feet. They were being transported on a motorcycle.
Katana and Kazungu were arrested following the concerted efforts of Kenya
Wildlife Service officers and those from the conservation organisation,
Ulinzi Africa Foundation, who responded to intelligence reports and
recovered the tusks.
The trophies were moved to the KWS offices in Garsen as the suspects were
remanded at Garsen police station before being presented in court on
Thursday.
The suspects were released on a cash bail of Sh500,000 each or an
alternative Sh2 million bond each.
The case will be mentioned on October 2.
Section 92 of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, 2013 prohibits
dealing in endangered species.
"Any person who commits an offence in respect of an endangered or
threatened species or in respect of any trophy of that endangered or
threatened species shall be liable upon conviction to a fine of not less
than twenty million shillings or imprisonment for life or to both such fine
and imprisonment," the Act states.