Court Gavel
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A man accused of possessing and dealing in an elephant tusk without a permit pleaded not guilty in the Nakuru Magistrate's Court on Tuesday, underscoring the ongoing struggle against illegal wildlife trade in Kenya.
The suspect was apprehended following an undercover operation on March 29, 2025, in the Elburgon ward of Nakuru County, where he allegedly sought a buyer for the tusk. Acting on intelligence, a Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officer, accompanied by an informant, met with the suspect, verifying the tusk's authenticity and weight at 47.3 kilograms. Authorities then took the suspect into custody.
The accused was granted a bond of Sh150,000 or a cash bail option of Sh100,000. He faces charges under Section 92(4) of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act of 2013, which prohibits the possession of wildlife products without proper authorization. The prosecution estimates the tusk's black-market value at Sh4.7 million. The case is scheduled for a court mention on April 9, 2025.
This case highlights the persistent challenges in curbing poaching, driven by the demand for ivory in Asian and Middle Eastern markets, where it is used in ornamental crafts and traditional medicine. Despite a global ban on the ivory trade, poaching continues to threaten Africa's elephant populations.
Kenya has intensified its anti-poaching efforts by implementing advanced surveillance technologies, including drones. The KWS also collaborates with local communities and other agencies to improve education, intelligence gathering, and resource sharing.
These collaborative initiatives yielded significant results, including a year of zero rhino poaching cases in Kenya in 2020—a first in two decades.
The ongoing legal proceedings and broader conservation efforts emphasize the necessity of both strong law enforcement and systemic change.