Poachers open fire on advancing KWS personnel

By Renson Mnyamwezi

MOMBASA, KENYA: The Kenya Wildlife Service KWS has announced that its security team came under heavy gunfire on Saturday inside a ranch as they pursued a gang of poachers suspected to have killed six elephants within Tsavo West National Park on the same day.

And yesterday KWS announced the capture of three men inside the same ranch and reports indicate they could be part of the group behind Saturday's killing of elephants. 

According to a statement from KWS Corporate Communications Department, the suspects were found without identification documents. Food and cooking utensils were recovered from the suspects who had been remanded at the Voi Police Station and investigations launched. 

“The suspects were found with no identification documents. This was after the team of ranger`s pursuing the gang came under heavy fire from armed gang who escaped arrest. An operation to apprehend the suspects is underway,” said the statement sent to The Standard.

KWS last Saturday said its security team pursuing poachers "encountered gunfire from a poaching gang" they were trailing at Dawida ranch where the six elephants were slaughtered in a day but did not indicate whether anyone was hurt or what weapons the alleged gang members deployed.

“The gang is believed to be part of four poachers who are behind the slaughter of a family of six elephants on Thursday last week at Dawida ranch in the periphery of Tsavo West National Park,” the statement said referring to Monday's arrests.

Six elephants among them two female adults and four tusks-less juvenile carcass were discovered poached and their tusks chopped off. All carcasses had gunshot wounds.

It is believed that the motive of the latest killing was a revenge mission after 15 suspects were arrested and charged in Voi Law Court following a poaching incidence in the same area.  

The suspects were released on Sh100, 000 bond each pending a hearing of the case.