Court Ruling on the Sentencing of Ant Smugglers in Kenya

Case EO73 Ruling Brief;

JKIA Law Court has sentenced Belgian nationals Lornoy David and Seppe Lodewijckx to pay fines of Kshs 1 million each in or serve 12 months in prison each after they pleaded guilty to dealing in wildlife species without a permit. The defendants were arrested on April 5, 2025, at Jane Guest House in Naivasha, Kenya, with approximately 5,000 queen Messor cephalotes (Giant African Harvester Ants) packed in 2,244 tubes, having a street value of Kshs 1 million.

In rendering judgment, Senior Principal Magistrate Njeri Thuku of JKIA Law Courts considered the defendants' early guilty plea, remorse, and lack of criminal records, but noted that possessing such a large quantity of queen ants went "beyond a hobby" and posed ecological risks, which would have led to the species being extinct.

Upon payment of the fine or completion of the prison term Lornoy and Seppe are to be repatriated through the Immigration Department back to their country of origin.

Case E074 Ruling Brief;

The Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Law Courts has sentenced Duh Heng Nguyen and Dennis Nganga to a fine of Ksh 1 million each or 12 months imprisonment for dealing in live wildlife species contrary to section 95(c) of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act. The two were guilty of trafficking 140 garden ants (Messor cephalotes) packaged in syringes and approximately 300 unpackaged ants valued at Ksh 200,000 without a permit.

Senior Principal Magistrate Njeri Thuku noted the case exemplifies organized wildlife crime, with Duh acting as a mule or courier sent to collect the ants and Dennis serving as his local broker.

In addition to the fines, the court ordered that Duh be repatriated to his country of origin after payment of the fine or completion of the prison term. The seized ants are to be released to the National Museums of Kenya if no appeal is lodged within 14 days.

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