Friday, August 16, 2013

Ivory or horns? Real nature of goods disputed

A report by the National Museums of Kenya will determine the fate of a driver and conductor of a courier firm accused of transporting Sh5.1 million worth of ivory. Photo/FILE

In Summary

• The bus crew have insisted that what they were transporting were cattle horns and not ivory

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Tests are being carried out to establish whether goods found on a Kampala-Nairobi bus were ivory or cattle horns.

A report by the National Museums of Kenya will determine the fate of a driver and conductor of a courier firm accused of transporting Sh5.1 million worth of ivory.

The prosecution is studying the report to determine whether the case should proceed or if new charges should be drawn. The two could face new charges, the prosecution told a Kisumu court.

Cattle horns

The bus crew have insisted that what they were transporting were cattle horns and not ivory. The prosecution asked for the report to ascertain whether the 23 horns and 58 bracelets were ivory.

The bus, belonging to Mash Bus Services Limited, was intercepted by Kenya Revenue Authority officials at Kisumu’s Kibuye market on July 27.

Prosecutor John Kanda told a Kisumu court that charges preferred against Mr Stephen Gitau and Mr Kakooza Husseia were likely to change after he receives the report.