KRA official charged over illegal ivory trafficking

A Kenya Revenue Authority officer is among six people who were on Tuesday charged with dealing with 511 pieces of ivory valued at Sh576 million without a licence.

Ms Lucy Kahoto, who works at the KRA office at the bond management facilities in Shimanzi, was charged alongside transporter Musa Jacob Lithare,Abdulrahman Mahmoud, Sheikh Mahmoud, Mahmoud Abdulrahman and Samuel Mbote.

They allegedly, jointly with others not before court, dealt with ivory of an endangered species without a licence from the Kenya Wildlife Service.

The accused were also charged with exporting from Kenya to Thailand the pieces of ivory weighing 3,127 kilogrammes without a permit.

In the alternative to count two, the accused were charged with exporting restricted goods contrary to Section 200 (c) (ii) of the East African Community Management Act.

They are alleged to have committed the offences on March 15 and April 26 this year in Mombasa.

ORGANISED CRIME
In the third count, the accused, who appeared before Mombasa Chief Magistrate Susan Shitubi, were charged with engaging in organised criminal activity.

The offence is alleged to have been committed on March 15 and May 20 this year within Mombasa County.

Defence lawyers told the court that they would like to examine a police officer who swore an affidavit opposing the accused being released on bail.

In his affidavit opposing the release of the accused on bond, Chief Inspector James Githinji said the offences touch on international and local listed threatened species.

Mr Githinji said the offences were serious, attracting sentences of life imprisonment or a fine not exceeding Sh20 million upon conviction.

He said there was a likelihood of the accused absconding if released on bond.

“Crimes still under investigation are of (a) trans-border nature and touch on matters relating to foreign jurisdiction requiring legal mutual assistance and diplomatic formalities,” said the officer.

The officer said the actual seizures of the trophies in foreign jurisdictions indicate a well-organised cartel with trans-border links in which the accused have connections.

Some, he said, had been issued with warrants of arrest against them and were at large.

“There is (the) likelihood that the accused persons will be charged with more offences upon completion of investigations,” said Mr Githinji.

He said the commission of the offences enhances activities that endanger the environment and deprives and destroys "our" heritage, which is to be sustainably exploited for the benefit of present and future generations.

The case will be mentioned on Wednesday afternoon.