Two men were on Wednesday charged before a Mariakani court for dealing in wildlife trophies of an endangered elephant species worth Ksh 3.2 million.
The two, Joseph Wambua Mutua and Wambua Mutavi Nduti, were arrested on Tuesday in possession of eight pieces of elephant tusks weighing thirty-two kilograms, concealed in a nylon sack transported on a motorcycle.
At the time of their arrest, at Kilibasi area in Samburu, Kwale County, the two did not have the proper documentation, permit or any other relevant lawful exemption, according to the prosecution.
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The duo appeared before Resident Magistrate Olivia Koranje where they were charged with being in possession of wildlife trophies without a permit contrary to Section 92(2) and 92 (4) of the Wildlife Conservation Act. The two pleaded not guilty and were each granted a Ksh.500,000 bond with one personal surety.
Elephant hunting was initially legal in Kenya but was banned in 1973 alongside ivory trade. However, the illegal poaching activities continue due to the international demand for elephant tusks. This threatens the population of elephants which is decreasing.
Kenya pioneered the destruction of Ivory in 1989. The process involves burning or crushing Ivory that has been recovered from poachers in a bid to suppress the illegal ivory trade. Although the trade is banned, it is still a problem to the governments and stakeholders. Owing to the poverty levels of most of the people, and the high value of elephant tusks, they are shipped overseas and sold on the black market.
Although Kenya has many national parks and reserves protecting wildlife, elephant populations are still at risk, a problem which is made worse by corruption and some officials supplementing their income with permitting poaching.
The Kenyan government has attempted to crack down on elephant poaching with the aid of multi-nationals but has often been too late in preventing the poaching of many elephants whose tusks have been seized in cases at Nairobi Airport and in Bangkok Airport where Kenyan tusks have often been imported.
