A Nairobi court has handed down a 12-month prison sentence to a Chinese man who attempted to smuggle thousands of live queen garden ants out of Kenya.
Zhang Kequn was also fined 1 million Kenyan shillings (£5,713; $7,737) after pleading guilty to illegally dealing in wildlife species.
The court heard that Zhang was arrested at Nairobi’s main international airport on 10 March while preparing to travel to China with more than 2,000 live ants concealed in his luggage.
Judge Cites ‘Negative Ecological Side Effects’
Presiding Judge Irene Gichobi described the convict as not “entirely honest” and lacking in remorse for his actions.
“There is need for a stiff deterrent sentence,” the judge said, pointing to “rising cases of dealing in large quantities of garden ants and the negative ecological side effects”.
Kenyan authorities have warned of growing demand for the insects in Europe and Asia, where they are prized by collectors. Each ant can fetch approximately $220 (£170) on the black market.
How the Smuggling Operation Worked
The court heard that Zhang had purchased the ants from a Kenyan national, Charles Mwangi, at a rate of 10,000 Kenyan shillings (£58; $77) for every 100 ants. Mwangi has also been charged and is currently out on bail.
Zhang initially pleaded not guilty to the charges but later changed his plea. Upon completion of his one-year prison term, he will be “referred to his home country”, Judge Gichobi added.
His lawyer has indicated that he will appeal the sentence within the 14-day window allowed by the court.
Repeat Offence
This is not the first such case in Kenya. In May last year, a Kenyan court sentenced four men — two Belgians, a Vietnamese national, and a Kenyan — to one year in prison or a fine of $7,700 (£5,800) for attempting to smuggle thousands of live queen ants out of the country, destined for collectors in Europe and Asia.
