Senior cop from Rift Valley HQ arrested for ivory possession

A senior cop from the Rift Valley Regional Police headquarters is among three suspects who were arrested for ivory possession.

Senior Sergeant Charles Kandagor Kipkulei and two other suspects were intercepted on Monday night following an anonymous tip-off to police in Kabarnet.

“The trio were intercepted as they drove towards Oinobmoi from Barwessa in Baringo,” a statement from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations reads.

The suspects are currently being held at Kabarnet Police Station as investigations continue.

Last month, two men were sentenced to five years in prison or a fine of Ksh. 1million each for being in possession of elephant tusks.

The tusks were found to be worth Ksh. 2.85 million.

And in another similar case, a Kenyan citizen denied trafficking tons of ivory and rhino horns at a U.S court.

Mansur Mohamed Surur was detained without bail a day after his extradition from Kenya.

According to a statement published on the U.S. Department of Justice website, Mansur was arrested by Kenyan authorities on July 29, 2020 in Mombasa.

He is facing charges of conspiracy to traffic rhinoceros horns and elephant ivory, both endangered wildlife species.

The crime is said to have involved illegal poaching of more than 35 rhinoceros and over 100 elephants.

“Mansur Mohamed Surur is alleged to be a member of an international conspiracy to traffic in rhino horns, elephant ivory, and heroin,” U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said.

Mansur and his co-defendant Moan Kromah from Liberia reportedly agreed to export the rhinoceros horns and elephant ivory for delivery to foreign buyers in packaging concealed as African masks and statues.