The Court on Wednesday, September 28 slapped Ibrahim Muiru with 5 years in prison without the option of a fine for dealing in wildlife trophies.
The Court that is based at Kamiti GK Prison mainly handles anti-terrorism cases, human trafficking, wildlife poaching, trafficking and drug trafficking.
Muiru pleaded guilty after he was found storing eight pieces of the recovered items weighing approximately 35 Kg at his home in Kihingo, Kiambu County.
While delivering the judgement, Kahawa Law Courts’ principal magistrate noted that Mburu posed a critical threat to the wildlife which was a national heritage.
In 2016, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) gave a 21-day amnesty for anyone to surrender any wildlife trophies which are held without a permit issued by the Wildlife Service.
The amnesty requires anybody holding any ivory, rhino horns or any other wildlife trophies or jewellery or trinkets made from these materials to surrender them to the KWS Director General at the KWS headquarters in Nairobi.
However, the items can also be surrendered to the Assistant Directors at KWS regional offices in Mombasa, Voi, Nyeri, Marsabit, Kitale, Nakuru, and Meru National Park.
Trading in Wildlife is a major problem across many African Countries as it threatens the survival and iconic species. Poaching is mainly facilitated by international criminal syndicates that sell wildlife trophies overseas.
Kenya has in the past three years redoubled its efforts and relentlessly implemented several measures directed at combating elephant poaching and the illegal trade in elephant ivory within and across its borders
Such efforts include the implementation of a National Ivory Action Plan (NIAP) focusing on the formulation of effective wildlife legislation with heavy penalties and its efficient and effective enforcement mechanism as a deterrent to wildlife crime.
Further, the government has implemented a National inter-agency wildlife law enforcement cooperation and collaboration, Public awareness and education have also been enhanced among locals to protect wildlife.
Kenya is committed to seeking a total global ban on the trade of wildlife trophies.