Monday, December 27, 2010

Woman fined Sh40,000 over illegal ivory


Thailand's Thararat Noiphoromma at the Makadara law courts where she was charged with being in possession of illegal ivory weighing 19.5 kg and valued at Ksh 195 000 while on transit from  Mozambique to Bangkok, Thailand. She was fined Sh 40,000 December 27, 2010. PHOEBE OKALL
Thailand's Thararat Noiphoromma at the Makadara law courts where she was charged with being in possession of illegal ivory weighing 19.5 kg and valued at Ksh 195 000 while on transit from Mozambique to Bangkok, Thailand. She was fined Sh 40,000 December 27, 2010. PHOEBE OKALL  
By RICHARD MUNGUTIPosted Monday, December 27 2010 at 14:33

A Thai national, arrested on Saturday at Kenya's main airport while attempting to smuggle ivory products, has been fined Sh40,000.
Thararati Noiphoroma pleaded guilty to being in possession of 19.5kilogrammes of assorted ivory cargo manufactured from elephant tusks worth Sh 195,000.
She was arrested at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) enroute to Bangkok, Thailand from Mozambique. The woman's luggage contained 105 pieces of ivory bangles, necklaces and two elephant tusks.
In her mitigation through lawyer Cliff Ombeta , the foreigner, who was on transit wondered why the Kenyan authorities arrested and detained  her yet she bought the ivory in a street in Mozambique.
“My client is wondering why she was detained yet in her country, Mozambique, where she is married to an African these game trophies are bought in open market. It is a free trade in Mozambique.”
Mr Ombeta said she had bought the bangles as presents to her relatives back home.
The magistrate also heard that the accused was in the company of her six year old child “who is still at the JKIA waiting for her mother".
"I urge this court to exercise leniency in the spirit of Christmas and new year. She can even be freed without being fined,” Mr Ombeta urged the magistrate.
But the court directed the accused to pay a fine of Sh20,000 or face one year in default for the offence of being in possession of illegal ivory and failing to report to the relevant authorities.
She was also fined Sh20,000 or serve one year in default for dealing in ivory.

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