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.
Further, she requested that sureties provide firm guarantees of the accused’s attendance in court.
Magistrate Odhiambo granted each accused a bond of Sh4 million, with one surety, and directed them to surrender their passports.
They must also provide two Kenyan contact persons as part of their bond conditions.
The case will be mentioned on August 20, 2025.
This prosecution highlights Kenya’s ongoing efforts to curb the illegal trade in wildlife products, particularly elephant ivory, which remains a major driver of poaching across the region.
Elephant tusks fetch a fortune in the black market as a surge in demand for ivory in the East continues to fuel the illicit trade in elephant tusks, especially from Africa.
Officials say despite a ban on the international trade in ivory, African elephants are still being poached in large numbers.
As part of efforts to stop the menace, Kenya has started using high-tech surveillance equipment, including drones, to track poachers and keep tabs on elephants and rhinos.
KWS and stakeholders have put in place mechanisms to eradicate all forms of wildlife crime, particularly poaching.
These mechanisms include enhanced community education, interagency collaboration, and intensive intelligence-led operations, among others
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