Three Chinese Nationals have been arraigned in court and charged with being in possession of a wildlife trophy contrary to the law among other charges.
Shang li yun,Xing Wei and Zhang Jie appeared before a Nairobi magistrate court and denied eights counts of being in possession of wildlife trophy.
Particulars of the offence are that the three suspects on 8th January 2019 at a house in Abardares court in kilimani area within Nairobi county jointly with others not before court were found in possession of a rhino horn 0.94kgs valued at 1.8m shillings without a permit.
They were also found in possession of a leopard skin valued at 500k,two polished elephant ivories,human statute sculptured,two lion sculptured ivories, seven ivory necklaces and five assorted ivory bungles 5kgs valued at 4m without permit.
The defense counsels representing the accused persons urged the court to released the accused persons saying that the accused are not at flight risk and they have a place of a bond saying the suspects have cooperated with the police and will abide to bail terms issued by the court.
The prosecution have opposed bail terms saying the accused are facing serious offences and that they are likely to abscode ,the prosecution have produced a tortoise to court as evidence to be recorded before court and asked the court to release the tortoise to wildlife.
Senior principal magistrate Kennedy Cheruiyot has ordered the tortoise to be released to wildlife and he will give ruling on 15th january on whether the accused will be out on bail terms.
