A BBC editor was hired by a gang rapist’s lawyers to give evidence in his last-ditch appeal to block his deportation to Somalia.
Mary Harper claimed Yaqub Ahmed could be punished by terror group Al-Shabaab if they found out about the sex attack.
Yaqub Ahmed had been caged for nine years over a sex attack on a 16-year-old girl in London when he was served with deportation papersSupplied
BBC Africa editor Mary HarperBBC
Africa Editor Ms Harper, 58, added that the country’s security forces may try to claim he was a British spy, and he may find it hard to get work.
Ahmed had been caged for nine years after being convicted with three others over the sex attack on a 16-year-old girl in London.
He was served with deportation papers but in 2018 was hauled off a Turkish Airlines flight taking him out the country when bleeding heart passengers rebelled at Heathrow.
Ms Harper was taken on later as an expert witness, appearing at his West London immigration tribunal and presenting written reports.
Her evidence appeared to back Ahmed’s appeal that deporting him was incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights, The Mail on Sunday uncovered.
Expert witnesses can receive up to £2,500 per report in Legal Aid-funded cases like Ahmed’s plus £800 a day if they appear in person.
Judges had “concerns about the objectivity” of her evidence.
Ahmed was finally returned to Somalia in August on a £200,000 charter flight following a £1million legal battle.
Former Home Secretary Dame Priti Patel said “serious questions” must be asked as to “why a BBC journalist was allowed to give evidence in a case like this”.
The BBC said there was nothing in its editorial guidelines to prevent staff acting as expert witnesses.
The case is only now being reported as Ahmed was granted 15 weeks anonymity on deportation.
His lawyers, Ronan Toal, Ubah Dirie and Stephanie Harrison, even tried to keep their own names secret.
Ahmed’s victim said: “Our legal system is a joke.
“We used to say we were quite fair. We’re not.
“Nothing about this has been fair.”
Ahmed was hauled off a Turkish Airlines flight taking him out of the country after passengers rebelledSupplied Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
