The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) rangers, at around 2:30 am on Wednesday, December 6, laid an ambush for a group of men loading illegally felled trees into a lorry at the Molo forest.
KFS was acting on a tip from a witness, who reported seeing the lorry making its way into the forest in the wee hours of the day.
Upon confronting the illegal loggers, the driver of the lorry tried to run them over, forcing the armed rangers to open fire and deflate the tires.
“The driver managed to drive the lorry towards the Molo-Mau summit road before abandoning it, after which he escaped on foot to a nearby village. The vehicle Reg. No. KBU 396V was later moved to Molo Police Station.” KFS wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Rangers filed a report at Molo Police Station under OB no. 8/6/12/2023, stating that they recovered 48 cypress logs in the operation.
Police, in a joint investigation with DCI Molo sub-county, further launched a manhunt for the suspects who managed to escape.
Chief Conservator of Forests Alex Lemarkoko congratulated the rangers for their bravery, urging citizens to continue being vigilant in exposing illegal activities.
Lemarkoko also advised the public to observe the law and desist from engaging in illegal logging.
KFS concurred, adding that illegal logging leads to arrest and prosecution, with suspects facing severe fines and jail terms.
Lemarkoko and KFS Board Chairman in July 2023 held a commemoration event at the Nairobi Arboretum Park, where they launched a joint enforcement team after the Environment CS Soipan Tuya called for a crackdown on logging activities in the country.
All publicly gazetted forests were previously declared out of bounds for unauthorised personnel from 6:00 pm to 6:00 am.
Suspects breaking the curfew rule were warned of impending arrest and arraignment in a court of law.
