Anti-terror Detective admits his passport was not stamped

By WILLIS OKETCH

Mombasa, Kenya: A British counter-terrorism detective has admitted that his passport was not stamped by Kenya Immigration department at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport when he was leaving Kenya two years ago after investigating investigating terror suspect Jermain Grant.

The anomaly put in him trouble with Grant's lawyer who argued that since the passport was not stamped, there is no proof that he travelled to Kenya to investigate the British terror suspect as he alleged in his evidence earlier this week.

Stephen Ball told Mombasa Senior Principal Magistrate  Mrs Joyce Gandani on Wednesday that he could not  remember why his passport was not stamped  but admitted it was a mistake.

The detective was reacting  to Grant’s lawyer Mr Chacha Mwita who  had sought to  prove that since he has no proof he has been in Kenya,  the evidence he was giving cannot be relied upon.

“My lady,  I cannot remember if my passport was stamped when I was leaving Kenya  on February 6  2012 after I had completed investigation into Grant’s suspected  terrorism activities,” said Ball  while in the dock as he reached his bag to remove the passport.

 “Yes it is not stamped. But I cannot remember what really happened on that day,” said Ball while waving the passport to the magistrate .

The lawyer interjected and asked him if he was treated as a diplomat, but he retorted “No I am not a diplomat. It was just a mistake, I cannot tell what happened”.

Grant and his wife Warda Brek have denied charges of being found in possession of explosives materials used in making bomb.  

The prosecution is being led by Deputy Assistant Public Prosecutor Jacob Ondari.