Sh75m wood at MP’s home
By Steve Mkawale
Officers raided an MP’s home and recovered wood worth about Sh75 million.
A combined team of about 20 officers from the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), forest guards and regular police force raided the home in Nakuru town, where they seized about 20 tonnes of sandalwood, which is especially used to make perfumes.
Sandalwood is in the International Union of Conservation of Nature’s list of threatened species.
But when contacted by The Standard on Wednesday, the MP declined to give details: "I have no comments please. Talk to the police," he said on telephone before hanging up.
The officers found logs of the rare tree species stashed in sacks and piled in a garage.
The MP was not at the residence during the Tuesday 7.30pm raid, but a guard said some farmers from his constituency brought the wood for storage. No arrest was made.
Rift Valley Provincial Police Officer, Mr Everett Wasige, said they are waiting for the MP to record a statement.
"We have communicated and he is willing to make a statement on how the logs ended up in his residence," said Wasige.
The tree grows in some parts of Rift Valley Province and in Tanzania, where its trade is legal.
It uses include carvings and other aesthetic products.
Other leading producers of sandalwood are Australia and India, which produce about 2,000 tonnes and 1,000 tonnes annually. India’s sandalwood industry is said to be 5,000 years old. The evergreen tree grows to a medium height of 30 feet.
After 15 to 20 years, an oily substance collects in the centre of the trunk, but as its scent grows stronger, the colour of the wood turns yellowish.
The average recommended age for the precious tree is 40 years, but the older the better.
In the Free Encylopaedia, it is estimated that one tone of sandalwood yields 40 to 50 litres of oil. The seized haul would therefore yield about 1,000 litres, which would go for about Sh75 million.
Trade in sandalwood is associated with mafia-like activities and smuggling.
Koibatek forest officer, Mr Joshua Cherana, said illegal felling of the tree is rampant in Mogotio, Emining, Kimngorem and Kisanana divisions.
most recent case: peter hartz who convinced our former red-green government the only solution for getting people into jobs will be a radicaly decreased support of unemployed workers by decreasing the monthly payment and neglecting them propper insurance-payback for the duration of unemployment. now since he was one of the guys who got sued for volkswagen's fraud scandal he bought himselves out earlier this week! and the deal he signed with the prosecutors left him without imprisonment!
