Teacher goes into ‘hiding’ after cutting down trees in government forest; risks a jail term of up to 6 months, fine

A primary school teacher has gone into hiding for fear of arrest by officers from the Kenya Forest Service, KFS. The Head Teacher to Nyaingu Primary School in Homa Bay County has gone into hiding after being sought by KFS officials for illegal logging in Nyaingu Hill forest. The headteacher felled 32 Pinus radiata trees in a forest adjacent to the school without authority from KFS.

According to Section 64(2) of the Forest Conservation and Management Act, 2016, ‘no one is allowed to fell, cut, take, burn, injure or remove any forest produce’ without a licence or permit. Anyone who contravenes this act is liable for a fine not exceeding KES 100,000/= or an imprisonment term not exceeding 6
months, or to both fine and imprisonment.

The motive behind the felling of the trees could not be immediately established.

KFS now wants the teacher to present himself to any KFS office country wide. “Anyone with information on his whereabouts is requested to contact the nearest KFS office,” KFS says.