Two suspects arrested with elephant tusks worth Sh600,000

The two suspects arrested at a Kitengela hotel with elephant tusks worth 600,000. [Peterson Githaiga, Standard]

Police in Kitengela are holding two suspects found in possession of five elephant trophies.

The two were arrested at a hotel as they prepare to hand over the consignment to the buyer.

According to Kajiado County Commander Investigating Officer Isaack Meme, the trophies with a street value of Sh600,000 was stuffed in a 50-kilogramme sack that contained maize.

''Acting on intelligence, a multi-agency team arrested the two, a Kenyan and a foreigner who pretended to transport maize from Migori to Kitengela and detained them,'' said Meme.

Addressing the media at Kitengela Police Station, Meme said another suspect believed to be a government officer and who was to receive the trophies managed to escape.

After interrogating them, the two suspects aged 66  and 28 revealed to have brought the trophies weighing 6.1 kg from Migori County.

They will be arraigned on Monday.

In another operation, three suspects escaped, but police managed to recover a motorcycle ferrying game meat weighing approximately 300 kilogrammes within Enkorika along Kajiado/Mashuru RoaD.

''Three suspects who had earlier killed several gazelles and a dikdik managed to escape but efforts to nab them are ongoing'' said Meme.

The arrest comes barely a few weeks after a primary school teacher was arrested by DCI detectives and Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) possessing two elephant tusks in the same area.

The teacher was nabbed at the weekend alongside four other suspects while looking for a potential customer to buy the tusks.