By Andrew Kariuki
A Chinese national and a Kenyan man have been arraigned in court over the illegal possession and trade of thousands of live ants allegedly being trafficked without the required permits.
Zhang Kequn, 37 and Charles Mwangi, 35, appeared before the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) Law Courts where they were charged with dealing in live wildlife species and conspiracy to commit a felony.
According to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), the two were arrested on March 10, 2026, while in possession of 1,948 garden ants packed in specialised tubes, along with an additional 300 live ants concealed in three rolls of tissue paper.
Prosecutors John Tago and Mercy Katsivo told the court that the suspects lacked the necessary permits to handle or trade in the wildlife species.
The court further heard that Mwangi faces an additional charge linked to a separate incident on March 13 in Gilgil town, where he was allegedly found with 1,000 live ants in a pink basin, 113 garden ants stored in specialised syringes and 503 empty syringes in a white sack, all without authorisation.
Investigations revealed that the two allegedly conspired between March 10 and March 13 to engage in the illegal trade, with Kequn said to have purchased ants from Mwangi at a rate of Ksh.100 per ant, paying Ksh.60,000 for 600 ants and an additional Ksh.70,000 for another 700 ants.
Both accused persons denied the charges before Senior Principal Magistrate Irene Gichobi.
The prosecution opposed granting bond to Kequn, arguing that he is a flight risk, noting that he entered Kenya on February 27, 2026, on a tourist visa and does not have a fixed residence in the country.
The case is scheduled for mention on March 27, 2026.
