Wildlife rangers held for theft

2003-08-13 12:55

Narok - Kenyan police have arrested two Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) rangers alleged to have robbed four British tourists in the country's famed Maasai Mara Game Reserve, police said on Wednesday.

"We arrested two KWS rangers on Tuesday in connection with the violent robbery of four British tourists on Monday evening in the Maasai Mara, and they were positively identified in a parade by the tourists," Narok police chief Senior Superintendent Joseph Munyao said.

"We have also recovered an AK-47 rifle and one round of ammunition they two used to rob the tourists," Munyao said.

Munyao explained that one of the KWS rangers he identified from KWS employment card, is based in the Maasai Mara, a sprawling wildlife reserve in southeastern Kenya.

The other gamekeeper detained was on leave from his post in the southwestern Tsavo game sanctuary, which like Maasai Mara borders Tanzania.

He said the two were arrested as they were spending the cash stolen from the tourists and pointed out that "out of the 50 000 Kenyan shillings snatched from the tourists and their driver, only 15 000 was recovered, while only $200 out of $320 taken were also recovered".

The police also recovered two camera lenses, three watches and three pairs of shoes, but a digital video camera and two video cassettes and two binoculars were still missing, Munyao added.

The two are due to appear in court soon on charges of robbery with violence, which carries a penalty of death by hanging, Munyao added.

- AFP