Garsen Law Court has handed Ahmed Guyo Hiddi a five-year prison sentence or alternatively imposed a fine of Ksh. 3 million after he was found in possession of trophies of an endangered wildlife species without the necessary permit from the Kenya Wildlife Service Director General.
The court was informed that on January 19 2024, at Tarasaa Junction in Ngao Location, Tana River County, the accused was discovered with two pieces of elephant tusks weighing approximately 3.8 kilograms and valued at KSh. 380,000.
To build a robust case against the accused, the prosecution presented five witnesses, including an expert witness and the investigating officer, whose testimony clearly connected the accused to the crime.
After his conviction, the defense requested a non-custodial sentence, citing medical documents and a pre-sentence report that supported probation. However, the prosecution successfully opposed this application, arguing that the medical records were outdated, issued in 2024, and that wildlife-related offenses continue to be a problem in the region.
The prosecution further contended that a deterrent sentence was needed to emphasize the importance of wildlife conservation and protection of Kenya’s endangered species for future generations.
Agreeing with the prosecution’s arguments, the court sentenced the accused to five years in prison or a fine of KSh 3 million. The convict was then transferred to Malindi GK Prison.