The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has charged a Chinese national and a Kenyan man for dealing in live wildlife species, namely 3,361 live ants and garden ants.
Zhang Kequn, aged 37 years old and Charles Mwangi, 35 years old, were on Tuesday charged at Jomo Kenyatta International Law Court with dealing in live wildlife species and conspiracy to commit a felony.
The Prosecution Counsel John Tago and Mercy Katsivo told the court that Kequn and Mwangi were on 10th March 2026 found dealing in live wildlife species, namely 1948 garden ants packaged in specialized tubes and 300 live ants packaged in three rolls of tissue without a permit.
Mwangi was charged with a second count of dealing in live wildlife species.
It’s alleged that on 13th March 2026, in Gilgil town, he was found dealing in live wildlife species, namely 1,000 pieces of live ants in a pink basin, 113 pieces of garden ants stashed in specialized syringes, and 503 pieces of empty syringes in a white sack without a permit.
The accused persons were jointly charged with an additional count of conspiracy to commit a felony.
The court heard that on diverse dates between 10th and 13th March, they conspired to commit an offense namely dealing in live wildlife species, namely garden ants.
The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges before Senior Principal Magistrate Irene Gichobi.
Kequn paid Mwangi Ksh. 60,000 for 600 live ants supplied and an additional Ksh. 70,000 for the other 700 live ants. He was buying each live ant at Ksh. 100.
The DPP opposed the release of the Chinese national on bond, citing that he arrived in the country on 27th February 2026 on a tourism visa; hence, he is a flight risk and has no fixed abode.
The case will be mentioned on 27th March 2026.
