I didn't spot this in the BBC spews.
BBC Africa Editor hired by rapist Yaqub Ahmed's lawyers to give evidence in his appeal to block deportation to Somalia
Rising to her feet in the drab West London courtroom, Mary Harper exuded the natural confidence and authority of one of the BBC's most senior journalists.
What she said, however, may well have shocked viewers and listeners familiar with her reporting as Africa Editor on the World Service.
The 58-year-old was appearing at the first tier immigration tribunal in Hatton Cross, on the edge of Heathrow Airport, after being hired as an expert witness by lawyers representing rapist Yaqub Ahmed in a last-ditch appeal to block his deportation to Somalia.
Answering questions before three immigration judges, Ms Harper warned Ahmed could be targeted by terror group Al Shabaab because it would want to 'punish' him for raping a 16-year-old girl in London.
She claimed he could be harassed by Somali security forces and wrongly labelled a British spy. He would also, she feared, struggle to find a job in Mogadishu's booming construction industry as he lacked the right skills.
Her evidence, delivered in both a written report and during cross-examination at the tribunal, appeared to back Ahmed's extraordinary appeal that deporting him was incompatible with no fewer than six of the 18 articles that make up the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR).
Ms Harper this weekend did not respond to questions about how much she was paid to act as an expert witness and the BBC declined to say whether she was obliged to declare any outside earnings.
But a barrister who works on similar cases told the MoS that expert witnesses can be paid up to £2,500 for producing a report in legal aid-funded cases like Ahmed's. They are additionally paid up to £800 a day for appearing at a tribunal.
Isn't that news?
