Fate of officers in big ivory seizure still unknown

Police officers and the public view tusks at Makupa Police Station in Mombasa. The tusks were seized by AP officers in Tudor during a night raid last week. [PHOTO: KELVIN KARANI/STANDARD

Mombasa, Kenya: Mystery now surrounds the fate of the Administration Police officers who seized a huge consignment of 314 pieces of ivory in Mombasa.

Sources told The Standard that the officers had allegedly been reprimanded by their seniors after they seized the ivory whose origin and destination are unknown.

The sources further disclosed the officers have been redeployed.

But when contacted, Mombasa County Police Commander Robert Kitur denied they were moved from their units or victimised for leaking reports about the seizure.

Reports in Mombasa have linked the ivory to a top police officer, wealthy politician and international traffickers. But Kitur termed the reports “fictitious and false”, urging anyone who had been threatened to record a statement with the police.

Last evening, Mombasa County Commissioner Nelson Marwa claimed the officers had been recommended for promotion for displaying dedication to their work.

However, neither Marwa nor Kitur could provide any documentation to indicate the officers had been recommended for promotion or to indicate their whereabouts.

At the same time, a lawyer representing a suspected ivory trader has claimed his life is in danger.

Lawyer Cliff Ombeta told Mombasa Principal Magistrate Justus Katuku that he had received calls warning him of dire consequences if he does not drop representing Halim Sadik Omar.

“They are even having my cell phone number. They even know the vehicle I am using, which has made me stop using it,” added Ombeta.

He made the claim after the magistrate ordered Ghalib Kara and Mr Omar to be remanded at Port Police Station for two days to allow police to complete investigation into the ivory recovered Fuji Motors Warehouse at Tudor. Mr Katuku made the order following an application by the State last week to have the suspects remanded.for five days to enable the police probe the matter.

The suspects arrested on Thursday were brought to court on Friday under tight security.

Mr Kara’s lawyer Francis Kadima said his client had a right to be released on bail pending investigation but State counsel Peter Kiprop insisted the suspects must be remanded since they were  facing serious charges.