A Laikipia man was on Thursday sentenced to five years in prison for being in possession of an elephant tusk worth Sh400,000. The convict, Hillary Biwot Lagat, 26, was found guilty of being in possession of the game trophy in 2018. The court did not give him an option of fine. During his trial, the court heard that he was found with the tusk on October 19, 2010 on the Sipili-Kinamba without a permit.
On Thursday, Nyahururu Chief Magistrate Charles Obulutsa said there was no doubt that Lagat was found with the tusks based on evidence presented before the court. "This court is satisfied with the evidence that have been submitted by the prosecution this is after having looked at the submissions from both the prosecution and accused person. "The prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and the court proceed to convict the accused as charged," said the magistrate while delivering the ruling.
In mitigation, the accused pleaded for leniency saying that he was a first offender and he is the sole breadwinner of his family. "I am pleading with the court to be lenient to me because I was also beaten and injured during the time of the arrest by the officers," he told the court.
The court gave him 14 days to appeal.
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