Officers from the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) in Machakos Town have arrested two people found in possession of elephant tusks weighing 12 kilograms and valued at KSh1.2 million.

According to the Wildlife Warden in charge of Machakos Sub-County, Ismael Kiprop, the two suspects were transporting the tusks on a motorcycle, wrapped in foil paper.

Kiprop further said that in the past one month alone, 11 cases have been reported, including five other people arrested with elephant tusks valued at KSh 1.3 million.

He has called upon Machakos residents to be cautious when buying meat, due to an increase in illegal poaching of wild animals.

The two, one of whom is alleged to be an employee of the Machakos County Government Water Department, will be arraigned in court today.

The two are likely to be charged with the offence of dealing in and/or possessing wildlife trophies of an endangered species without a permit under the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act.

When one is found guilty of Possession of a Wildlife Trophy (Endangered Species – Section 92(4), he or she is sentenced to a fine of not less than KSh3 million, imprisonment of not less than 5 years, or both such fine and imprisonment.

And when one is found guilty of dealing in a Wildlife Trophy (Endangered Species – Section 92(2), he or she is sentenced to not less than 7 years imprisonment, often with no option of a fine depending on specific judicial applications.