A Nairobi court has fined four individuals—three foreigners and one Kenyan—Ksh1 million each for attempting to smuggle thousands of queen ants out of Kenya. Magistrate Anjela Njeri Thuku delivered the ruling on Tuesday, offering the option of paying the fine or serving a one-year jail term.
Belgian nationals David Lornoy and Seppe Lodewijckx, Vietnamese national Duh Hung Nguyen, and Kenyan Dennis Nganga pleaded guilty to illegally possessing the ants, which they planned to smuggle through Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). Authorities arrested the group after they discovered over 5,000 queen ants at a guesthouse near Lake Naivasha.
None of the suspects had permits to collect or export the ants, a clear violation of Kenya’s wildlife protection laws.
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), which filed the case, told the court that there was no legitimate reason for such mass collection and raised concerns about potential ecological harm and commercial exploitation.
In their defense, Lornoy and Lodewijckx admitted guilt but claimed ignorance of the law. Describing their actions as a “stupid mistake,” they pleaded for leniency and expressed a desire to return home.
Despite their remorse, the court upheld the sentence, stressing the gravity of the offense and Kenya’s strong commitment to biodiversity conservation.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) presented a scientific report by a National Museums of Kenya entomologist. The report highlighted the vital ecological roles ants play, from pest control and soil aeration to nutrient recycling and climate monitoring.
The expert warned that harvesting queen ants in large numbers could trigger local extinctions, destabilize ecosystems, reduce plant nutrients, and open the door to invasive species.
