Four men have been arraigned before a Nakuru Court after they were found in possession of three pieces of elephant tusks.
Peter Kabuthi, George Muriithi, Charles Ndung’u and Joshua Ruoro were allegedly found with the elephant tusks weighing 13kg and valued at Sh2,600,000 on August 30 along Oginga Odinga Road within Nakuru Town.
According to police records, the four were caught by Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officers who stopped them to check the content of what was in the sack.
After the search, the officers found the pieces of tusks wrapped in a yellow paper bag that was put inside a sack of potatoes.
One of the suspects told the court that they were victims of circumstances: “We were called and given the job of carrying the bag of potatoes. We did not know what was in the bag,” said Ndung’u.
Appearing before Chief Magistrate Joel Ng’eno, they pleaded not guilty and they were given a Sh2 million bond and a surety of the same amount each.
The case will be heard on October 2.
In the same court, a nine-year-old boy went free after he was accused of harvesting an eighth of an acre of green maize.
The boy is alleged to have harvested green maize corn valued at Sh8,500, property of Wanjiru Mwangi on diverse dates between July 24 and August 13 in Paise Farm in Njoro Sub-County.
Chief Magistrate Ng’eno rejected the case against the boy saying the case was a diversion. He rejected the case under section 89 (5) of the constitution.