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Sh1.3b heroin case on the verge of conclusion - State

heroin

Five Pakistani nationals charged with heroin trafficking 377.2kg of heroin appear before court on July 13, 2014. FILE PHOTO | NMG

The State is on the verge of concluding a case of an Iranian vessel alleged to have carried heroin with a market value of Sh1.3 billion into the country.

The vessel was blown up in the high seas in August 2014 under the supervision of President Uhuru Kenyatta, as a sign of the government’s tough stance against drug trafficking.

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), through prosecuting counsel Lilian Kagori, told Mombasa Chief Magistrate Julius Nangea that they remain with one witness before closing their case.

She indicated this during the hearing of the case in which 12 people, among them nine foreigners, are facing a charge of trafficking the heroin.

“Your honour, we are ready to proceed with the case. We are remaining with the last witness before we can close our case,” indicated Ms Kagori.

However, the hearing was adjourned Tuesday due to the absence of one of the defence lawyers.

Still in remand

Mr Nangea stated that the court is looking forward to dispose of the matter since some of the accused persons (all foreigners) are still remanded.

“Since the first up to the nine accused persons are in custody, the matter has to be heard expeditiously. We shall give it a mention date on July 9.”
The DPP has so far brought 34 witnesses to testify against Kenyans, an Iranian, an Indian and several Pakistanis.

The accused are businessmen Mohamed Osman Ahmed, Khalid Agil and Maur Bwanamaka all Kenyans.

Others are foreigners Yousuf Yaqoob,Yakoob Ibrahim, Saleem Muhammad, Bhatti Abdul Ghafour, Baksh Moula, Prabhakara Nair, Pak Abdolghaffer, Vikas and Muhammed Saleh.

The accused allegedly, jointly with others not before court, were found trafficking by conveying in the cargo deck of ship Amin Darya, also known as Al Noor, some 377.2 kilogrammes of creamish granular heroin, 33,200 litres of liquid heroin and 2400 litres of diesel mixed with heroin.

The offence is alleged to have been committed on diverse dates between July 2 and 18, 2014 at Kilindini Port berth number 8 in Mombasa County.

The case is fixed for hearing on August 11 and 14, 2017.