A Kwale County Government Officer has been arrested by Police Officers after being found in illegal possession of 12 pieces of Elephant tusks weighing 35 Kg in Matuga Sub County.
The 53-year-old County employee, Josphat Mtoi Kuri, works as a Clerical Officer in Kinango Sub County was arrested inside a local guest house by a team of Security Officers drawn from the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and Criminal Investigation Department Officers who have been trailing him for some days.
The undercover detectives disguised as customers arrested the suspect and handed him over to Police Headquarters in Kwale town for further investigations.
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Community Warden Officer Omar Muichande has confirmed the incident.
The officers had posed as buyers after tracking the suspect for a long time before nabbing him on Sunday evening.
Kuri wanted to sell the tusks at Sh 100,000 each but they have a higher street value than that according to Muichande.
The KWS warden said the lone suspect is believed to have gotten the elephant tusks after poaching activities inside the Kuranze Ranches.
Police report reveals that tusks might have originated from Kuranze Ranches within Kinango where three Elephants are believed to have been killed.
He will be arraigned in court soon with possession of Elephant tusks.
By Hussein Abdullahi
