NAIROBI, Kenya — A court in Nairobi has sentenced a man to nine years in prison after finding him guilty of illegally exporting wildlife products and forging official wildlife documentation.
The sentence was handed down at the Kibera Law Courts after prosecutors from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) secured a conviction against Peter Omwangala Atepe.
Principal Magistrate Margaret Murage delivered the sentence after finding Atepe guilty of multiple offences under the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act.
The court said the prosecution had proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt despite several challenges during the proceedings.
According to the ODPP, Atepe was convicted of illegally exporting wildlife products and forging official documents to facilitate the shipment of the items abroad.
Evidence presented in court showed that the accused forged a CITES import licence to facilitate the re-export of wildlife products from Kenya to the United States.
The wildlife products involved included northern deer products, elk products, and peacock feathers.
Prosecutors further told the court that the accused also forged revenue stamps belonging to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) on import and export permits used to move the wildlife products.
In addition, Atepe faced a separate charge of exporting wildlife products without a valid permit.
The case dates back to 2019, making it one of the oldest matters pending before the court.
During sentencing, Magistrate Murage acknowledged the complex nature of the case and commended the prosecution for its persistence in pursuing the matter over several years.
The prosecution team, led by Principal Prosecution Counsel Michael Mutune, told the court that the accused had attempted to derail the case between 2019 and 2024 before the first witness eventually testified.
The investigation also had international dimensions. Authorities launched the probe following a mutual legal assistance request from wildlife protection agencies in the United States.
The request sought cooperation from Kenyan authorities after Atepe’s accomplice was arrested in the US.
Following the request, investigators from the Kenya Wildlife Service worked jointly with prosecutors from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to apprehend the suspect in Kenya.
While Atepe faced prosecution before the Kibera Law Courts, his alleged accomplice was prosecuted separately in the United States.
Officials say the conviction highlights growing international collaboration in tackling wildlife trafficking, a crime that threatens biodiversity and undermines conservation efforts across Africa.
Prosecutors say the ruling reinforces the country’s commitment to combating wildlife crime and protecting endangered species through stronger legal enforcement and cross-border cooperation.
