A Kenyan man has been fined Ksh5 million ($34000) in default and served 5 years imprisonment for having 40 kg of a wildlife trophy.
The accused, Mtengo Kazungu Bahero, was arrested and charged with two counts of Dealing in a wildlife trophy of an endangered species without a permit and being in possession of a wildlife trophy of an endangered species.
Chief Magistrate Julius Nangea found that the prosecution had proved the case against the Mtengo Kazungu Bahero beyond a reasonable doubt in one count.
The court, however, acquitted him for dealing in a wildlife trophy of endangered species, namely seventeen (17) pieces of elephant tusks weighing 40 kg.
The same court also sentenced Stephen Karisa Ngumbao and Emmanuel Zege Baya to pay a fine of Ksh5 million ($34000) in default 2 years imprisonment and 2 years imprisonment, respectively, for dealing in wildlife trophies, namely three (3) elephant tusks weighing 5kgs.
They were also charged with being in possession of a wildlife trophy, namely (3) three elephant tusks weighing 5kgs without a permit.
“The Court found that the prosecution, through Principal Prosecution Counsel Ms. Winnie Atieno Otieno, had proved the case against Stephen Karisa Ngumbao and Emmanuel Zege Baya beyond reasonable doubt in both counts,” said the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP).
The latter had been previously convicted and sentenced to serve 7 years for dealing in wildlife trophy, which sentence he is still serving.
