Officers nab sandalwood trees worth Sh30m

Sandalwood with an estimated value of Sh30 million was intercepted along the Laikipia-West Pokot border on Saturday.

A contingent of Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) personnel, administration police officers and guards from the Laikipia Nature and Conservancy Ranch seized the 14-ton consignment of the precious tree that had been kept in seven hurts in Kaptuya and Tebelekwa villages in Pokot after a tip-off.

It is believed that the wood was obtained from the ranch. One suspect was arrested while another one escaped during the ambush. The two were found guarding the consignment.

The director of the conservancy Mrs Kukki Gallmann said she had received information from the public that ‘big business’ was happening on her ranch before she alerted the police.

Police have been investigating the matter for the last two months.

“This is a major breakthrough in our efforts to stop this illegal business that has been going on my ranch. I informed my security team, KWS and the  police officer after receiving information that wood had been hidden in the hurts. We have been investigating the matter,” said Mrs Gallmann, the author of I dreamed of Africa.

She said she had been informed that over 40 people had been accessing a section of her ranch at night to harvest the sandalwood trees.

“It is regrettable that some residents are destroying the ranch I have been conserving for the last five years by carrying out illegal business,” she said of the 100,000-acre ranch.

She added: “I feel let down. This plant is among the endangered species and tough action must therefore be taken against these  criminals. I thank the officers who worked with me to unearth this syndicate. The government has to act tough.”

KWS officer in charge of Ol Moran  Corporal Kipeteli Lelesit who led the operation said they are still pursuing the suspect who escaped.

“Officers have been deployed along the border of the two counties to ensure no consignment leaves the ranch,” the officer said adding the arrested suspect will be arraigned immediately they conclude their investigations. “We will leave no stone unturned, all suspects are brought to book,” he added.