JKIA Law Courts Convict Wildlife Traffickers in Unusual Garden Ant Smuggling Case
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By: Ann Nzembi
In a groundbreaking ruling, the JKIA Law Courts convicted four individuals in a rare wildlife trafficking case involving garden ants.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) announced that Belgian nationals Lornoy David and Seppe Lodewijckx, Vietnamese national Duh Hung Nguyen, and Kenyan national Dennis Ng’ang’a were each fined Ksh. 1 million or sentenced to one year in prison for illegal possession and trade of listed wildlife species.
Delivering the sentence, Senior Principal Magistrate Hon. Njeri Thuku stated, “The law does not discriminate between large and small species. All wildlife deserves protection under Kenyan law.”
The prosecution, led by Allen Mulama, Paula Rono, and Bramwel Shitsama, told the court that on April 5, 2025, Lornoy and Seppe were arrested in Naivasha with approximately 5,000 queen ants stored in 2,244 tubes, with an estimated street value of Ksh. 1 million.
Later that night in Nairobi, Duh and Dennis were found with 140 syringes and two containers holding roughly 300 live ants, valued at Ksh. 200,000.
“This case may seem unusual, but it highlights a growing trend in illegal wildlife trade targeting lesser-known species,” said prosecutor Paula Rono.
A key piece of evidence was a scientific report from the National Museums of Kenya. An entomologist warned that harvesting queen ants at scale could disrupt ecosystems, reduce plant regeneration, and spread invasive species.
“Ants are the unsung heroes of our environment,” the report read. “Their removal could trigger ecological collapse in sensitive areas.”
All four suspects pleaded guilty on April 14 and now face fines or jail terms. The court also ordered repatriation of the foreign nationals after serving their penalties.
“This conviction sends a clear message,” said DPP spokesperson. “Kenya will protect its biodiversity, down to the smallest creature.”
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