A man has been jailed for seven years for dealing in pangolin scales valued at Sh300,000 after Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officers caught him during an undercover operation in Taveta, Taita-Taveta County.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) said Musa Ngondi was convicted of dealing in wildlife trophies from a critically endangered species without a permit or other lawful exception.
The offence was contrary to Section 92(2), as read with Section 105 of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act.
The ODPP said the case arose on July 23, 2025, when KWS officers from the Tsavo West National Park investigation team acted on a tip-off from a member of the public.
“The informant said people at Green Park Hotel in Taveta Subcounty possessed pangolin scales and were looking for a buyer,” the ODPP said.
The officers planned an operation at the hotel, with one posing as a buyer. They spotted Ngondi, who matched the informant’s description, arriving with another man.
The other man later left the hotel, leaving Ngondi behind. The undercover officer then approached him and asked to see the merchandise.
Ngondi removed the scales from his pocket and showed them to the officer. The ODPP said the scales were tied with nylon paper and wrapped in a piece of white netting.
“The scales weighed 0.096 grams and were valued at Sh300,000,” the ODPP said.
Taveta Senior Principal Magistrate Cecilia Kithinji sentenced Ngondi after the prosecution, led by Prosecution Counsel Charles Mogaka, proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The court granted Ngondi 14 days within which to appeal, the ODPP said.
The case began after a member of the public alerted authorities to the suspected sale of pangolin scales at the hotel, prompting the undercover operation.
Pangolins are protected wildlife, and illegal trade in their scales threatens their survival. The animals are targeted by traffickers because of demand for their scales in some markets.
