Monday, July 13, 2026

Kenyan couple arrested, charged for plotting to export ants to China, France

A prosecution begged the court to speed up the case stating that the lives of the ants on display were at stake.

• June 27, 2023
Messor Cephalotes
Messor Cephalotes(Credit: Esthetic Ants)

The Kenyan authorities have arrested and charged three persons for attempting to smuggle ants for export to China and France.

The suspects, a husband and wife and a postal worker, were charged with attempting to export the ant species Messor Cephalotes without authorisation from the Kenya Wildlife Service, according to a report published by BCC on Tuesday.

They denied the charges and were freed on bail.

A prosecution begged the court to speed up the case stating that the lives of the ants on display were at stake.

According to the reports, the ants were said to be worth 300,000 shillings ($2,135; £1,677).

We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.

More from Peoples Gazette

farmers

Agriculture

FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology

The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices

Katsina State

Politics

Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku

“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State

States

Makinde charges Oyo commissioners to stay committed as administration enters final lap

Mr Makinde urged government appointees to prioritise legacy over tenure, citing the late Obafemi Awolowo as an example.

Police Officer

States

Oyo police arrest man, recover pistol, drugs

The police said the investigation is ongoing, with efforts intensified to identify, track, and apprehend the fleeing suspects.

Uba Sani of Kaduna State (Credit: Twitter)

States

Gov. Sani appoints new aides, board chairs to enhance service delivery

Mr Musa said that the appointments are part of the ongoing efforts to strengthen governance and inject fresh energy into public service.

Police on stop-and-search

States

Police detain suspect over illegal possession of firearm in Enugu

The police said a concealed locally made double-barrelled pistol was found in the suspect’s possession during a search.

David Mark

Politics

Appeal Court upholds judgment barring INEC from recognising Mark-led ADC congresses

Justice Mohammed held that the case that precipitated the restraining order bordered on a non-justiciable internal affair of a political party.

Sealed filling station

Heading 5

NMDPRA seals Mobil, Mangerborn Energy in Ogun for under-dispensing fuel

Mr Adebowale stated that the action became necessary due to repeated breaches of regulatory requirements by the affected filling stations.