![The KWS says a heartbreaking video clip of members of the public fatally hacking an elephant was recorded on June 21, 2018. [PHOTO | SCREENGRAB]](https://i0.wp.com/www.k24tv.co.ke/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/ELEPHANT.jpg?resize=730%2C414&ssl=1)
By Philip Mwaniki
Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) has identified one of the suspects seen in a viral video last month butchering an elephant at Imenti Forest in Meru County.
KWS assistant director in charge of Eastern Cconservation area, Michael Wanjau said that Kenneth Baabu Muthaura was positively identified from the shocking video that circulated widely on social media platforms on November 19, 2019 .
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The suspect was arrested together with three others but the two were let off the hook over insufficient evidence.
Wanjau said tracked Muthaura to his home in Meru where he was positively identified by local elders and relatives as one of the persons who were seen in the video killing the elephant.
Further, the KWS official revealed that 10 other suspects also identified from the video were being hunted down and would be arrested soon to be charged with killing the wild animal.
Wanjau said investigations revealed that the incident took place on June 21, 2018 when a report was made of an elephant that had been killed by villagers in Imenti Forest.
He said KWS officers took bone samples from the dead animal for DNA forensic matching with the tusks to be presented as evidence in court.
Muthaura was later arraigned on Monday at the Nanyuki court and charged with killing an elephant without lawful authority.
He denied the charges before Nanyuki Resident Magistrate Vincent Masivo and was released on a Sh300,000 bond.
The case will be mentioned in January 2020.
