This archive report was first published on 8 August 2020.
On August 8, 2020, a Nairobi court convicted Corporal Henry Mokua Onsongo, popularly known as Masai, for wildlife trafficking offences and abuse of a government firearm.
Masai, a former lead SPIV officer in crime-prone areas of Nairobi, was celebrated for his extrajudicial executions of hardcore criminals and brutality while dealing with budding ones.
However, his troubles began on March 9, 2015, when he was cornered in South B shopping centre by Kenya Wildlife Service officers who had been tracing him with intelligence that he was dealing with wildlife trophies.
He was found with a piece of a Rhino horn weighing 600 grams and valued at Sh1.2 million inside his car after one of the KWS officers posed as a buyer in a well-planned and meticulously executed dragnet.
During the confrontation, Masai pulled out his Ceska Pistol and threatened the KWS officers, leading to a charge of misuse of a government firearm and obstructing officers on their duties, both of which he was also convicted of.
Chief Magistrate Joyce Gandani of Kibera law courts found him guilty as charged and stopped in the middle of delivering her judgment to confirm Masai was not armed.
Masai was facing a total of four charges: possession of wildlife trophy, dealing in wildlife trophy, obstructing persons in execution of their duties, and using a government firearm for an unlawful purpose.
He was convicted jointly with businessman Eliud Wanyonyi, who had spent three years in remand before being bailed out.
