NAIROBI, Kenya, May 7 — A court sitting at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) has sentenced four individuals, including two Belgian teenagers, to 12 months in prison with the option of paying a Sh1 million fine for illegally trafficking thousands of queen ants.
Senior Principal Magistrate Njeri Thuku handed down the sentences to Belgians Lornoy David and Seppe Lodewijckx, both aged 19, as well as Vietnamese national Duh Hung Nguyen and Kenyan Dennis Ng’ang’a, following their guilty pleas to charges under Section 95(c) of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act.
The accused were found in possession of more than 5,000 live queen ants of the Messor cephalotes species — also known as Giant African Harvester Ants — concealed in over 2,200 test tubes and 140 syringes.
The ants were discovered in early April.
The court was told the ants were destined for the exotic pet and entomology trade in Europe and Asia, where individual queens fetch between €60 and €170.
‘Beyond a hobby’
Magistrate Thuku described the operation as emblematic of an emerging form of illegal wildlife trade and bio-piracy involving lesser-known but ecologically vital invertebrates.
“This is beyond a hobby. If this had happened to any larger species, it would be of genocidal proportions,” she said in her ruling, referring to the mass harvesting of queen ants.
“There is no justification for being found with 5,000 queen ants. None at all.”
The linient sentences were informed by detailed pre-sentence reports and a Victim Impact Statement filed by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).
The court also considered a scientific brief from the National Museums of Kenya, which warned that mass harvesting of Messor cephalotes — a species with a limited distribution in East Africa — could result in extinction, disrupt soil health, promote the spread of pests, and introduce invasive species in non-native environments.
In mitigation, the Belgian teens’ lawyer, described them as first-time offenders who acted out of naivety and fascination with entomology.
The court heard that Lornoy was an active member of an online ant-keeping community and had purchased ants during a gap-year visit to Kenya.
Seppe, a student of economics and languages, had travelled for the Safari Rally and became involved through local contacts.
Both teenagers expressed remorse, as did their families, with their mothers traveling from Belgium to attend the proceedings.
Duh Hung Nguyen, a 23-year-old computer science student from Vietnam, broke down in court, explaining he had dropped out of university to care for his father who has cancer.
He said he was sent to Kenya as a courier and did not know the act was illegal.
Kenyan broker
Ng’ang’a, the Kenyan co-accused, claimed to have acted as a broker due to familiarity with the ants but insisted he was unaware his actions were criminal.
The magistrate acknowledged their remorse and cooperation, noting that all four pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.
“Justice must be tempered with mercy. Those who demand harshness today may one day need it themselves,” she said.
However, the court strongly criticized legal gaps in Kenya’s wildlife laws.
Messor cephalotes is not currently listed as endangered or protected under the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act or the CITES appendices.
Magistrate Thuku called for urgent reforms to address insect trafficking and suggested exploring regulated trade frameworks under international instruments such as the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing.
She also urged national institutions including KWS and National Museums to consider the potential for a structured invertebrate trade model and conservation programs to harness economic interest while protecting biodiversity.
Following the sentences, the court ordered that the seized ants be transferred to the National Museums of Kenya for appropriate handling.
The personal items of the accused are to be returned upon confirmation of fine payment or completion of prison terms.
The foreign convicts be repatriated to their home countries upon fulfillment of the sentencing terms.
The court slotted a mention for June 5, 2025, to confirm compliance with the court’s orders.
