Coast Regional Coordinator Nelson Marwa has been ordered to appear in court over a defamation suit filed against him by businessman Ibrahim Kharti.

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Marwa was meant to appear before the Mombasa Law Courts on Tuesday, but sent his lawyers to represent him.

The lawyers, argued that their client being a civil servant, has a right to be represented by the state lawyer as per the provisions of the Constitution.

Marwa was later instructed by the magistrate to appear in court on March 9, 2017.

The no-nonsense administrator's summon comes barely a fortnight after he declared a total war on illegal firearm owners who he blames for the runaway security in the region.

Marwa, who initially served as Mombasa County Commissioner, has also declared to dismantle drug cartels in the region that has been hard-hit by drug abuse.