A man in Baringo County has been slapped with a seven-year prison sentence after he was found guilty of possession and dealing in endangered wildlife trophies.
Appearing before Kabarnet Law Courts Principal Magistrate C. Ateya, Justin Kandie was found guilty under Section 92(2) as read with Section 92(4) of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, 2013.
In June 2024 at Katibel Village, Kaptiei Location in Baringo North Sub-County, Kandie was found in possession of four elephant tusks worth KSh2,820,000. He was arrested during a sting operation by a multi-agency team.
The case, prosecuted by Counsel Sidney Koech, was proved beyond reasonable doubt through prosecution evidence and testimony from six witnesses, including officers from the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), the National Police Service (NPS), and a researcher from the National Museums of Kenya.
In her sentencing remarks, Principal Magistrate Ateya emphasised the grave national and ecological consequences of wildlife crimes. Aggravating factors included expert findings by the National Museums of Kenya which confirmed that the recovered tusks represented at least four elephants, highlighting the severe environmental impact of the offence.