Two Guys are Accused of Engaging in Illicit ant Trafficking and Appear in Court in Nairobi

Zhang Kequn, a 37-year-old Chinese national, and Charles Mwangi appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate Irene Gichobi at the Jomo Nairobi Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) Law Courts. They denied a number of charges, including conspiracy to commit a felony and illegal dealing in wildlife species.

The prosecution claims that the two were initially taken into custody on March 10, 2026, after it was discovered that they had 300 garden ants hidden in tissue rolls and 1,948 ants kept in special tubes.

Authorities informed the court that the accused lacked the authorization needed to handle or deal in such species under Kenya’s wildlife protection legislation. The two are jointly charged with conspiring to participate in the illicit transaction between March 10 and March 13, the court heard.

Additionally, the prosecution claimed that Kequn had been purchasing the ants from Mwangi, paying Sh60,000 ($462) for the first batch of 600 ants and Sh70,000 ($540) for an additional 700 ($5.40), thereby pricing each ant at Sh100 ($0.78).

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