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Feisal Mohammed Ali was
arrested in Tanzania after fleeing Kenya ©- (AFP)
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A court in Kenya on
Wednesday granted bail to the suspected ringleader of an ivory smuggling gang
on medical grounds, prompting immediate protests from wildlife activists.
Kenyan national Feisal
Mohammed Ali, who figured on an Interpol list of the nine most wanted suspects
linked to crimes against the environment, was arrested by international police
agents in Tanzania in December after fleeing Kenya and extradited to face
charges in the port city of Mombasa.
Releasing Ali on a 10
million shilling (102,000 euro) bond, Magistrate Justus Kituku said he did not
believe the suspect would try to flee again.
"The court hopes the
accused has learnt his lesson," said Kituku. "The world is a global
village. You can run but you cannot hide."
AFP reports:
The judge's decision came
after defence lawyers successfully argued that their client required medical
treatment for diabetes that could not be provided while in custody. Kituku
ordered Ali to hand over his passport and report to detectives weekly.
He is charged with
possession of and dealing in elephant tusks weighing more than two tonnes --
equivalent to at least 114 slaughtered elephants and worth an estimated US$4.5
million (4.2 million euros).
Ali has denied all
charges.
The haul was discovered
by Kenyan police in June when they raided a car dealership in Mombasa, after
which Ali fled to Tanzania.
Conservationists reacted
angrily to Wednesday's ruling, saying it undermined a case seen as a test of
Kenya's willingness and ability to prosecute wildlife crimes.
Paula Kahumbu, chief
executive of conservation organization Wildlife Direct, said the decision to
grant bail was "ridiculous".
"The 10 million
shilling bond is a fraction of the value of the ivory seized," she said.
"This is a very, very bad sign that Kenya's landmark case is being
compromised"
Already the case has been
mired in controversy after a fleet of vehicles, due to be presented as
evidence, disappeared while under police guard.
Save the Elephants
estimates an average of 33,000 elephants have been lost across Africa to
poachers each year between 2010 and 2012.
Experts say that
international criminal gangs control the trade, pushing Africa's elephants
towards extinction. A joint UN Environment Programme and Interpol study in 2013
said the illegal trade is worth up to US$188 million.
The next hearing in Ali's
case is due on March 24.
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