Police in Busia County have arrested a 26-year-old man for being in possession of a live snake without a valid permit from the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), in an unusual incident that unfolded near the Kenya-Uganda border.

According to a report filed on Sunday, officers stationed at Mayenje Police Post intercepted the suspect, identified as Fanish Ramsey Maloba, while manning the Malenya border point. 

Maloba, a resident of Matayos Sub-County, was found carrying a black bag that contained a live black and brown-coated snake, estimated to be approximately two meters long.

When questioned, the suspect claimed he had crossed into Uganda to conduct prayers and perform spiritual cleansing rituals. 

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He alleged that the snake mysteriously appeared during the session and that he captured it with the intention of taking it to his church—Apostle Ministries Church in Matayos—for further prayers.

Authorities quickly alerted KWS officers, who responded alongside detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and officers from Busia Police Station. The snake was safely taken into the custody of KWS.