Two charged with illegal possession of Sh6.2m tusks in Tana River

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.