Bid to freeze ivory smuggling suspects' bank accounts

Ivory smugglers Suspects from left Abdulrahman Mahmoud Sheikh, Sheikh Mahmoud Abdulrahman, Mahmoud Abdulrahman Sheikh, Lucy Muthoni Kahoto, Musa Jacob Lithare and Samwel Mboto Mundia at the Mombasa court in Mombasa County on Tuesday 23rd June 2015 where the six denied Exporting 511 pieces of 3127kgs of Ivory Trophies worth 576 Million to Thailand, and dealing with the trophies without a license from the KWS. [Photo/Kelvin Karani/STANDARD]

The Government wants the High Court in Mombasa to order a freeze on bank accounts and seizure of properties of seven suspects charged with trafficking ivory worth Sh576 million to Thailand.

Last week on Friday, State prosecutor Jami Yenina filed an application before High Court judge Martin Muya, seeking interim orders to freeze 13 bank accounts and seize nine motor vehicles and a piece of land owned by Abdurahman Mahmoud Sheikh, Sheikh Mahmoud Abdurahman, Mahmoud Abdurahman Sheikh, Musa Jacob Lithare, Samuel Mbota Mundie, Jefwa Nicholas Mwari, Samuel Bakari Jefwa, Potential Quality Supplies Limited and Funzi Island Company Ltd.

"The respondents have been interviewed by police and failed to provide information on the origin of the monies used to purchase the properties, the source of the huge amount of monies and transactions in their bank accounts," said Yenina.

The prosecutor sort to serve the order to the Attorney General's Office, companies' registry, National Transport and Safety Authority, Ministry of Lands, Standard Chartered Bank, Kenya Commercial Bank, I&M Bank, Co-operative Bank, Barclays Bank and NIC Bank. Yenina also requested the court to provide a 14 day notice for the respondents and anyone affected to respond to the application.

The seven respondents are charged together with Lucy Kahoto, Salim Juma Khamisi, Abbasi Issa Rashid and Kenneth Mwangi Njuguna for being part of a cartel that trafficked 511 pieces of elephant tusks weighing 3,127 kilogrammes to Thailand on diverse dates between March 15 and April 26, 2015 in Mombasa, jointly with others still at large.

The prosecutor said investigations had revealed that the monies in bank accounts, the parcel of land at Makupa block 13/340 M1 and nine motor vehicles were derived from proceeds of ivory trade.

However, defence lawyer Gikandi Ngaibuni said the court should issue restriction orders only on the said land and motor vehicles and let them remain in the same state they were in.

The judge extended the interim orders until August 20, when he will deliver a ruling.