By Gilbert Koech
Kenya: A Kenya Revenue Authority officer who handled the Sh570 million illegal ivory shipment seized in Singapore was yesterday suspended.
KRA Commissioner General John Njiraini said in a statement the directors of the exporting company that handled the cargo and the driver of a truck used to ferry the two 20-foot containers containing the wildlife trophy are being sought.
“So far, the truck owner has provided statements to the investigation team but the driver is still at large. The directors of the exporting company have absconded but are being sought,” he said.
Njiraini said other KRA port staff are being investigated for “appropriate actions to be taken after relevant details emerge".
Customs officials in Singapore on Tuesday seized 3.7 tonnes of illegal ivory from Kenya in the second-largest haul since 2002.
The ivory was hidden among tea bags, the haul consisted of 1,783 pieces of raw ivory tusk, four pieces of rhino horn and 22 teeth believed to be from African big cats — cheetahs and leopards and were on the way to Vietnam.
Source: allafrica.com
