Seven Chinese nationals have been convicted to seven years in jail for conducting illegal mining in West Pokot.
The Chinese nationals were charged at the Kapenguria Law Courts for unlawful mining along the Wei-Wei River in Sigor, Pokot Central Sub-County.
The accused identified as Wang Youping, Xian Zhenming, He Zhouming, Guan Qiang and Deng Chun were arrested on February, 12, 2025, during a joint operation by the Mining Investigations Unit and officials from the Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs.
They discovered unlicensed mining activities, recovered several machines and vehicles used at the site and confirmed that the accused lack valid licences.
Apart from that, they established that two of the accused were in the country without work permits or alien registration with mineral samples from the site testing positive for quartz.
The accused persons pleaded guilty before the Principal Magistrate Nelly Kenei.
Each of them was fined 3 million for unlawful mining and Ksh400,000 for working without permits, or serve a year in prison for each offence.
They will be returned to their country upon completion of their sentences.
