Two men detained over Sh10 million rhino horn trafficking syndicate
Prosecuting counsel Allan Mulama told the court that investigators from the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) required more time to subject the horns to DNA analysis to determine their origin, and to conduct digital forensics on two mobile phones seized from the suspects.
The JKIA Law Courts have granted the State 10 more days to detain two men accused of involvement in an international wildlife smuggling syndicate.
Senior Principal Magistrate Njeri Thuku allowed an application by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) seeking custodial orders against Feisal Mohammed Ali, 58, and Mohammed Hassan Kontoma, 75, who were arrested in Mombasa with 2.2 kilogrammes of rhino horn valued at Sh10 million.
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The suspects were arrested on Tuesday in the Mama Ngina area of Mombasa before being flown to Nairobi to face charges of dealing in and possessing wildlife trophies. Prosecutors described them as key players in a sophisticated transnational ivory trafficking network.
Prosecuting counsel Allan Mulama told the court that investigators from the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) required more time to subject the horns to DNA analysis to determine their origin, and to conduct digital forensics on two mobile phones seized from the suspects.
The court further heard that the investigating officer had initiated communication through Interpol to trace the syndicate’s international links and was pursuing a complex money trail spanning multiple bank accounts, both local and foreign.
Mulama noted that Feisal was a flight risk, having previously been convicted of ivory trafficking and sentenced to 20 years in prison alongside a Sh20 million fine.
He added that Feisal had also once been the subject of an international arrest warrant issued by Interpol for environmental crimes.
Magistrate Thuku directed that the matter be mentioned on September 9, 2025.
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