Police Recover Guns Used to Kill Elephants (Kenya)
Sebastian Miriti, Kenya News Agency
June 10, 2021
See link
https://www.kenyanews.go.ke/police-recover-guns-used-to-kill-elephants/
for photo.
Police in Marsabit have recovered two guns and four rounds of ammunition
suspected to have been used in killing elephants in Hurri Hills, North Horr
Sub-county in Marsabit County in April this year.
Marsabit county Police Commander (CPC) Martin Kibet said the firearms that
included an Ak-47, a Carbine, two magazines and four bullets were recovered
by a multi-agency security team at Rage village in Kalacha location through
the community policing initiative.
Mr. Kibet said in his office during a press briefing that local elders
helped in recovering the weapons that were used in killing two elephants on
April 26, this year for ritual purposes.
The county police commander added that efforts were being made to arrest
the suspects who are reported to have since escaped into a neighbouring
country.
He cautioned locals against engaging in crime, saying the police would
never relent in pursuing those committing crime and especially possession
of illegal firearms.
Mr. Kibet said a bullet head retrieved from one of the carcasses would be
subjected to ballistic examination, in order to establish if the recovered
firearms were used in the poaching incident or not.
The Kenya wildlife services (KWS) director in charge of Upper Eastern
region, Captain Robert Obrien said investigations have established that the
poachers killed the jumbos in a bid to acquire the tail and ear pieces for
a cultural fete held on the night of the material day.
Captain Obrien said that the outdated ritual practice was used in certain
pastoralist communities to venerate killers of such animals as heroes.
The director urged residents to shun such beliefs and practices which he
said have been overtaken by events, and do not also match the value of the
elephants and other wild animals like lions, ostriches and the Colobus
monkey that are normally killed for souvenirs.
He added that the service was currently carrying out public awareness
across the county on the importance of conserving and protecting the
national heritage.
https://www.kenyanews.go.ke/police-recover-guns-used-to-kill-elephants/