An alleged world’s most notorious ivory trafficker has been detained for 10 days by the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) Law Courts to allow detectives conclude investigations.
Feiswal Mohamed Ali, whose 20-year conviction was overturned in 2018, appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate Njeri Thuku on Wednesday. He was arrested alongside Mohammed Hassan Kontoma for allegedly being in possession of 2.2 kilograms of rhino horn.
The duo was apprehended on Tuesday afternoon at Mama Ngina Waterfront in Mombasa during a joint operation conducted by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and the Rapid Response Unit.
They were arraigned on August 27, 2025, under a miscellaneous application in which KWS officers sought 10 days to detain them for investigations, with further directions expected from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP). The application was, however, deferred to August 28 before a ruling was made.
Through the prosecution, KWS argued that the suspects are being probed for serious economic crimes and illegal dealings in wildlife trophies, specifically rhino horns, contrary to sections 92(2) and 92(4) of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, Cap 376 Laws of Kenya.
In granting the application, Magistrate Thuku emphasized that rhinos are a critically endangered species, justifying the extended detention period.
The two suspects will remain in custody at Lang’ata Police Station until September 9, 2025.
