Magistrate, Director of Public Prosecutions clash over ivory trafficking suspect

Feisal Mohammed at the Mombasa High Court in Mombasa County on Thursday 26th March 2015. The state has applied for the review of an order to release him on bond. The case will be mentioned on Monday next week. [Photo/Kelvin Karani/Standard]

Mombasa Principal Magistrate Davies Karani has succumbed to pressure from the office of the Director of Public Prosecution and disqualified himself from hearing a case in which Feisal Mohamed (pictured) is accused of ivory trafficking.

Karani made the declaration yesterday in his ruling following a recent application in which Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecution Alex Muteti asked him to disqualify himself from the suit, claiming he (Karani) was not impartial.

The DPP had asked him to step aside, citing his past decision to have the ivory kingpin released on bond despite a High Court order denying the accused bail. Karani, however, denied the claim.