RUFIJI: Arrest warrant issued for ivory case suspect

BY THE GUARDIAN REPORTER

The Kibiti Court in Rufiji district, Coast region has issued an arrest warrant for Abdallah Mussa who did not appear to answer charges involving illegal possession of ivory.

This is the second time for the court to issue a similar warrant within a month as another suspect Scolastica Nchimbi accused of the same count had an arrest warrant issued on her after failing to show up in court.

It was claimed at the Court on Wednesday, by the District Public Prosecutor Gabikwa Ushomile that Musa did not appear in court with no apparent reasons.

“Your honor Magistrate, we do not have the whereabouts of the accused, I request the court to issue an arrest warrant and set another date for a preliminary hearing of the case,” he said.

Adjourning the case, the District Court Magistrate Muhidin Matitu, said it will be mentioned again on December 19.

He ordered the prosecution side to bring witnesses and continue looking for the accused and bring him to court.

In another incident, the accused Amir Selemani who in the year 2010 was arrested possessing illegal ivory worth 24m/- requested the court to start hearing his case after he had contracted an advocate.

The Prosecutor Ushomile told the Magistrate that the accused is ready to continue with the case.

“Your majestry, the accused has contracted an advocate and he has requested to proceed with the case on the 13th of next month,” he said.

Adjourning the case, Magistrate Matitu said the court do not have any objection with the requests.

“I adjourn the case until December 13, when the preliminary hearing will start and the accused will continue with his bail,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Court will next week start hearing economic sabotage case involving Jumanne Ligenge and Juma Libaga who were found possessing ivory contrary to the law.

According to the court, the case was adjourned last month because the office of Director of Public Prosecution did not bring files for the case to proceed.

Adjourning the case, Magistrate Matitu said the case will be mentioned in the court on November 28 and the accused were out on bail.

Ligenge was on March 30 this year arrested possessing 42 illegal elephant ivory worth 86m/- using his motor vehicle number T557 ATL.

He was first arraigned to court on April 5 this year and released on a bail worth 10m/-.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN (23/11/2012): http://www.ippmedia.com/frontend/index.php?l=48306