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Makupa OCS David Muli was grilled yesterday in a Mombasa court for allegedly allowing evidence tampering in a trafficking case against a suspected ivory kingpin.
Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Alex Muteti questioned Muli in an inquiry over the disappearance of several exhibits in the trial of Feisal Ali Mohammed.
The inquiry will resume today.
After the disappearance of 11 cars, Muteti had sought summons against three senior officers, including the Makupa police station boss, his deputy and a former Matuu police station boss.
The cars were evidence impounded in connection with the seizure of 228 tusks and 74 ivory pieces weighing more than two tonnes.
They were held at the motor vehicle warehouse on Tom Mboya Avenue, Tudor Estate.
The exhibits were subject of a court order restricting their removal or interference. Officers from Makupa police station manning the yard allowed a businessman to take several cars.
The DPP’s office had earlier said it would apply for the forfeiture of the ivory under the Wildlife Act.
Muli said he was not aware that there would be any removal at the property and the DPP had not informed him of any orders barring removal.
“No officer from the DPP had told me about any restriction,” he said.
The DPP also applied to cross examine Muli’s deputy who commanded the ivory seizure operation on December 20 last year.
Feisal’s lawyer Mike Oloo accused the DPP of slowing the case by engaging in side shows, while the main hearing had not began.
Oloo wants the number of witnesses in the inquiry limited to prevent the DPP from prolonging the main hearing.
Feisal has been charged alongside Abdul Halim Sadiq, Ghalib Sadiq Kara, Praverz Noor Mohamed and Abdulmajeed Ibrahim.