Court hands Chinese 2-year jail terms for illegal mining in West Pokot » Capital News
NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 19 – A court in Kapenguria has convicted seven Chinese for engaging in illegal mining activities along the Wei-Wei River in Sigor, Pokot Central Sub-County.
Their arrest followed an operation conducted on February 12, 2025, by officers from the Mining Investigations Unit, in collaboration with officials from the Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs, as part of a crackdown on unlicensed mining operations.
The enforcement team stormed the site and discovered active mining taking place in blatant disregard of the law.
The enforcement team arrested seven individuals — Wang Youping, Xian Zhenming, He Zhouming, Wang Xiadodong, Zhao Zhenewei, Guan Qiang, and Deng Chun — on site.
Authorities found six lorries used to ferry rock and soil, a water bowser, two excavators, two bulldozers, one caterpillar, two high-powered generators, and a steel container used to store equipment.
Unlicensed
Investigations revealed that the seven had entered Kenya and commenced mining operations in West Pokot without licenses or any supporting documentation from the Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs.
Additionally, two of the suspects — Xian Zhenming and Deng Chun — were unlawfully present in the country, lacking both work permits and alien registration certificates.
Samples collected from the site and analyzed at the Government Mining Laboratory confirmed the extracted minerals to be quartz, a hard, crystalline mineral composed primarily of silicon dioxide used for multiple applications including jewelry.
The case proceeded, and on April 17, 2025, all seven appeared before Principal Magistrate at the Kapenguria Law Courts where they pleaded guilty to the charges and convicted on their own pleas.
For engaging in unauthorized mining activities, the court fined each convicted person Sh3 million with a default sentence of one year in prison.
In addition, for working in Kenya without valid permits, the court fined each convict Sh400,000 with an alternative for a year-long in prison.
The court imposed further penalties on Xian Zhenming and Deng Chun over their unlawful presence in the country with each required to pay Sh200,000 or serve six months in prison.
Upon completion of their sentences or payment of the fines, the two will be repatriated to China.