The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has moved against two men accused of illegally dealing in live wildlife species, including thousands of ants.
On Tuesday, 37-year-old Chinese national Zhang Kequn and 35-year-old Kenyan Charles Mwangi were charged at Jomo Kenyatta International Law Court with dealing in live wildlife and conspiracy to commit a felony.
According to prosecution counsel John Tago and Mercy Katsivo, the accused were first caught on 10th March 2026 handling 1,948 garden ants packaged in specialized tubes and 300 live ants rolled in tissue, all without a permit.
Mwangi faced a second count after being found in Gilgil town on 13th March 2026 dealing in 1,000 live ants in a pink basin, 113 garden ants in syringes, and 503 empty syringes in a sack, again without the required authorization.
The prosecution further alleged that between 10th and 13th March, the two conspired to commit offenses relating to the trade of garden ants.
Court documents revealed that Kequn paid Mwangi Ksh. 60,000 for 600 live ants and Ksh. 70,000 for another 700, effectively purchasing each ant at Ksh. 100.
Both men pleaded not guilty before Senior Principal Magistrate Irene Gichobi. The DPP opposed Kequn’s release on bond, noting he entered Kenya on a tourist visa on 27th February 2026, has no fixed residence, and is considered a flight risk.
The court is set to mention the case again on 27th March 2026, with authorities emphasizing Kenya’s strict stance on illegal wildlife trade, even involving small species such as ants.
The case highlights the legal scrutiny facing foreigners and locals involved in wildlife offenses, and the penalties that accompany breaches of Kenya’s wildlife protection laws.
This prosecution marks one of the rare instances where live ants have been at the center of criminal wildlife proceedings, underscoring the DPP’s vigilance in safeguarding the country’s biodiversity.