Police officer, civilian nabbed trafficking ivory worth Sh3 million

Two suspects including a police officer (R) stand next to next to some of the ivory pieces worth over Sh2.9m that there were trafficking when KWS officers arrested them in Mai Mahiu Naivasha. The suspects were trafficking the 29 pieces from Narok to Nairobi when they were arrested. [Antony Gitonga, Standard]

Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) officers in Naivasha have arrested two suspects, including a junior police officer, for trafficking elephant ivory worth close to Sh3m.

The two suspects were arrested along the Mai Mahiu-Narok road while ferrying the 29 pieces from Narok to Nairobi.

This came as the government agency raised its concern over an increase in cases of ivory trafficking in the country, noting that it was affecting wildlife conservation.

Last month, three suspects, including a police officer, were arrested in Kajiado while ferrying over 20 pieces of ivory to Nairobi.

In the latest incident, the two suspects were waiting for a matatu along the road when KWS officers moved in and arrested them.

According to Francis Mutuko, KWS Senior Warden in charge of Naivasha, the 29 pieces had been parked in two bags when the suspects were nabbed.

He expressed his concern that among those arrested was a police officer who was supposed to be the custodian of the law.

"We have arrested two suspects, including a junior police officer and recovered elephant tusks worth around Sh2.9m following a sting operation along the Mai Mahiu-Narok road," he said.

While decrying the rise in cases of trafficking of ivory, he said that the two suspects would be handed over to DCIO officers for further interrogation before being arraigned in court.

Meanwhile, three people, including two prominent Naivasha traders died following a grisly road accident involving three vehicles along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway.

The two men and one woman died on the spot while two others were seriously injured following the 10 pm accident near Marula farm 10 km from Naivasha town.

The five were heading to Naivasha town from Gilgil when their car was hit twice by two trailers heading in the opposite direction, leading to the fatal accident.

Naivasha OCPD Stephen Kirui confirmed the accident, adding that the drivers of the two trailers were also injured and admitted at Naivasha sub-county hospital.

"We had an accident involving a personal car and two trailers along the highway, and we lost three people while four other people were admitted to hospital," he said.