A middle aged man was sentenced to one year jail term by a Nyahururu court and also pay a fine of KES 10,000 for killing five leopards in the vast Laikipia ranch.
Moses Mosop who pleaded guilty, was presented before Principal magistrate Alice Mongare and charged that last December, he killed the leopards and was fetching market for the skins in Tandare in Laikipia County.
Game rangers who are based at Lang’ata Wildlife Headquarters received a tip off from members of the public that there was a man who was seen carrying the skins, which were in a sack, and was fetching for a probable buyer.
They responded swiftly and arrested him and took him to Nyahururu Police station where he was remanded.
In mitigation, He said that his father was killed in a cattle rustling incident by rustlers in Samburu, adding that he has a wife and two children to take care of.
He pleaded for leniency, saying that he committed the offence out of poverty.
Convicting him, Mong’are said that the court considered the fact that he was a first time offender and was remorseful and sentenced him, saying that he should serve as a warning to others.
Mong’are also said that the sentence was ‘indeed lenient’ in regard to the crime committed.
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