Two Burundian nationals were Monday charged in a Mombasa court with illegal possession and trade in wildlife trophies, contrary to Kenya’s wildlife conservation laws.
Gakiza Sulemani and Nkunubumwe Celecius were arraigned before Senior Resident Magistrate David Odhiambo, and charged with dealing in 27 pieces of elephant tusks — classified by law as trophies from endangered species — without the required permit.
The tusks weighed approximately 62.85 kilograms and were valued at Sh12,570,000.
The court heard that the accused were apprehended on August 3, 2025, at around 3:00 PM in the Miritini area of Mombasa County, following an intelligence-led operation by Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officers.
The suspects were reportedly in the area seeking potential buyers for the illicit wildlife products.
In addition to trafficking charges, they face a second count of possession of a wildlife trophy from an endangered species without a permit, in violation of Section 92(4) of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, 2013 (as amended).
Both suspects pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Principal Prosecution Counsel Barbara Sombo urged the court to impose strict bond terms to ensure the accused remain available throughout the trial.
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