Kenya Wildlife Service officers in Kaptilu, Uasin Gishu County, have arrested two people among them a cleric after they were found with ivory weighing 7 Kgs.
The suspects, Pastor David Koech from Full Gospel Church and another suspect Sammy Kiptum were also found with two skins from elephants and another belonging to a leopard.
Confirming the arrest, Elgeyo Marakwet County warden Dominic Kilonzo said that they suspected that the two animals were killed in Embobut forest in Marakwet East and the ivory from the elephant from Mt. Elgon area.
“Officers together with those from the criminal investigation department have been trailing the two after we got a tip off from the members of the public,” Kilonzo said.
He noted that the officers traced them to an area deep in the forest where they had dug a hole and hidden the loot as they searched for market.
“They were selling one of the skins from a leopard at Sh 200, 000 with the other at Sh150,000 while the ivory was being sold at Sh50,000 per kilo,” he said.
The officer said that while they were being nabbed Koech pleaded with the officers to pardon him saying, he was a pastor and that he had fallen into the devil's trap which saw him commit the crime.