Joho arrest stopped in gun saga

Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho addresses the press at Orange Democratic Movement's Capitol Hill offices on March 14, 2016. He said whereas the State had the authority to revoke his licences, there were laid-down procedures to be followed. PHOTO | ROBERT NGUGI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • High Court Judge George Odunga granted the temporary orders in an urgent application the governor had filed to forestall an imminent arrest.

  • Joho's lawyer said his client had never been notified of any intention to revoke his firearm certificate.

Mombasa Governor Hassan Ali Joho on Tuesday got a reprieve after the court stopped his arrest and recovery of his firearm by the police.

High Court Judge George Odunga granted the temporary orders in an urgent application the governor had filed to forestall an imminent arrest Tuesday for failing to return his guns as directed by police last Thursday.

“The court hereby grants orders stopping the police from revoking the governor’s firearm licence as well as confiscating his firearm and the consequential decision to charge him for failing to comply with the orders until this application is heard and determined,” said Justice Odunga.

His lawyer, Mr Anthony Oluoch, also told the court that the governor, who has been a holder of a licensed firearm certificate since June 18, 2008, had never been notified of any intention to revoke his firearm certificate and neither had he been informed that he had suffered any disability to impair his ability to hold it.

The governor received a letter on March 10 from the Chief Licensing Officer, Central Firearms Bureau Samuel Kimaru, informing him of the revocation and directing him to surrender the firearm certificate forthwith to the police commander.

Mr Oluoch said on Friday, the Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery, through a press statement, ordered the governor to immediately surrender his firearm certificate or face arrest despite knowing that Mr Joho had 14 days to comply as provided in the firearms certificate Act.

The lawyer also lodged an appeal which will be heard on April 8.