In a shocking turn of events, Mary Harper, Africa Editor for the BBC World Service, has left the Corporation following revelations about her involvement as an expert witness in deportation appeals for Somali criminals. Ms. Harper's role came under scrutiny after it was uncovered that she had provided evidence in at least 15 cases, including those of convicted sex offenders and drug dealers.

Among the most disturbing cases was that of Yaqub Ahmed, a Somali gang rapist for whom Ms. Harper had given expert witness evidence during his legal battle to stay in the UK. Despite her warning that Ahmed would be at "severely heightened risk" if deported to Somalia due to his prior sex crime, a judge disagreed and rejected his appeal. Astonishingly, 16 months later, Ahmed still remains in the UK, living with relatives in a council flat.

Further investigation revealed that Ms. Harper had also provided evidence for three other sex attackers, three drug dealers, and a career criminal with a decade-long history of offending in the UK. She argued that these individuals would face various challenges if returned to Somalia, ranging from being shunned by their clans to being targeted by terrorists. However, in some cases, her evidence was deemed speculative and unsupported by a broad range of views, raising concerns about her objectivity.

The revelation of Ms. Harper's extensive involvement in immigration cases has sparked an impartiality row for the BBC. Tory deputy chairman Rachel Maclean MP expressed her astonishment at the number of cases Ms. Harper had been involved in and called for a review of the Corporation's guidelines. Questions have been raised about the impact on the victims and their families when a BBC employee advocates for the offenders to remain in the country.

Ms. Harper, who described herself as an expert witness in Somali-related cases on her website, has been providing evidence in immigration cases for at least a decade and has connections with Wilson Solicitors, the law firm that represented Yaqub Ahmed. However, the exact amount she was paid for her expert witness services remains undisclosed.

Interestingly, out of the 15 Somali criminals whose cases included evidence from Ms. Harper, seven were successful in their appeals. It is unclear how many of the others have been deported, as the Home Office refused to provide that information.

Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith expressed astonishment that a judge questioned Ms. Harper's evidence on the basis of lack of impartiality, raising concerns about the credibility of her work and its implications for the BBC.

Following the revelations, the BBC announced Ms. Harper's departure from the Corporation. However, it remains uncertain whether she was sacked or chose to quit. A BBC spokesperson emphasized that while there are no specific rules prohibiting staff from acting as expert witnesses, they are expected to maintain objectivity and impartiality in their evidence.

This controversy highlights the need for a thorough review of the BBC's guidelines regarding the involvement of its employees in external work, particularly when it pertains to matters of law and justice. The impact on public trust and the reputation of the BBC should be a top priority moving forward.

The exact reasons behind Ms. Harper's departure and the lessons learned from this incident are yet to be fully revealed, but the implications of her role as an expert witness will undoubtedly be felt for some time to come.