A Mombasa court has sentenced a man to 10 years in prison in a major boost to the government’s campaign against wildlife trafficking.
The ruling follows the conviction of Abdi Mohamed Ali, who was found in possession of elephant tusks valued at Sh2.4 million and engaging in illegal wildlife trade.
Senior Resident Magistrate David Odhiambo delivered the judgment after Principal Prosecution Counsel Barbara Sombo successfully demonstrated that Abdi had violated key provisions of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, 2013.
Abdi was fined Sh3 million for possessing a wildlife trophy of an endangered species without a permit.
By default, he will serve three years in prison. He was also handed an additional seven-year sentence for dealing in wildlife trophies without lawful exemption. The court ordered the sentences to run concurrently.
The magistrate also issued a warrant of arrest for Abdi’s co-accused, Assad Mohammed Ahmed, who absconded after being released on bond.
Despite his absence, the trial proceeded, and he was convicted in absentia. The court directed that he be arrested and sentenced immediately upon apprehension.
Prosecutors built their case using evidence from six witnesses, including Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and police officers.
Their testimony showed that the two suspects were arrested on January 1, 2022, at Memon Villa in Mombasa’s Central Business District after intelligence reports indicated they planned to sell ivory.
Officers intercepted the suspects’ black Toyota Aqua, registration number KCZ 476P, as they attempted to reverse and escape.
A search of the vehicle uncovered a black bag containing a smaller Nigerian-style bag and a green manila sack.
Inside, officers found seven cut elephant tusks and a digital weighing scale. The court ordered the vehicle forfeited to the State and directed KWS to destroy the tusks.
In its judgment, the court commended the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for presenting a solid case.
Magistrate Odhiambo ruled that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and dismissed the defence as an afterthought.
The conviction adds to recent efforts by the ODPP to curb wildlife crime, a persistent threat to Kenya’s endangered species.
