A section of Mombasa law courts [Photo/the-star.co.ke]

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Three suspected smugglers have been handed a reprieve after a Mombasa court allowed them to access their bank accounts.

According to a local daily, businessman Abdulrahman Sheikh and his two sons, who are facing charges of smuggling ivory had asked the court to allow them to access the account to settle a bill of Ksh.4,000,000 million for his ailing wife at the Mombasa hospital.  

The family appealed after it was allowed to withdraw Ksh.300, 000 for monthly upkeep, arguing that the amount is not enough.

The businessman, Samuel Mboto Mundia, Abdulrahman Mahmoud Sheikh, Mahmoud Abdulrahman Sheikh, Sheikh Mahmoud Abdulrahman, Musa Jacob Lithare and Lucy Muthoni Kahoto have been accused of running a cartel involved in the trafficking ivory.

The cartel has been linked to the smuggling of a package of 511 pieces of elephant tusks weighing 3,127 kilograms to Thailand. 

They allegedly committed the offense on diverse dates between March 15 and April 26, 2015, in Mombasa.

In her ruling Lady Justice Dorah Chepkwony allowed the suspected to access their accounts pending investigations into the charges levelled against them,

 “In a matter where we may lose life court must intervene and orders sort is hereby granted,” said Chepkwony, as quoted by Baraka FM.