A man who showed up at the Likoni Ferry Channel in possession of a live 2.3-metre python weighing 10 kilograms was arrested by police officers in Mombasa County on Tuesday night, February 12.
According to a police report quoted by K24 Digital, Karissa Iha was intercepted by security officers in charge of the scanning system at the ferry entrance.
The suspect was flagged down after x-ray scans revealed a hidden object concealed inside his suitcase.
He is to be arraigned in court on Wednesday to face charges of possession of a wildlife species without a permit, which goes against the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act of 2013.
Section 95 of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, 2013 restricts citizens from dealing in live wildlife species without a permit.
Offenders convicted of this act are liable to a fine not less than Ksh1 million or an imprisonment term not less than three years or both.
“A person who engages in sport hunting or any other recreational hunting commits an offence and shall be liable, on conviction, to a fine of not less than twenty million shillings or imprisonment for life; a fine of five million shillings or imprisonment of five years or to both such fine and imprisonment; a fine of one million shillings or imprisonment of two years or to both such fine and imprisonment,” reads Section 96 of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, 2013
Kenya Wildlife Service in 2017 imposed a ban on exporting of various snake species into different countries.
Species such as the African black python are regularly sold in their black market for their skins and meat.
Meanwhile, thousands of ferry users could be staring into more confusion at the Likoni Ferry Channel after the Kenya Ferry Services pulled out two ferries namely MV Nyayo and MV Likoni.
KFS officials told the Daily Nation on Wednesday, February 12 that the two vessels were withdrawn due to mechanical problems.
MV Nyayo was withdrawn on Tuesday evening despite a statement announced by the KFS that it would be taken for repairs.
The ferry is among three old vessels serving more than 300,000 people and 6,000 vehicles on a daily basis.
MV Harambee was grounded permanently following an incident that claimed the lives of a woman and her daughter in September 2019.
