Hand over drug suspects to us, US tells Kenya
Mr Baktash Akasha Abdalla (left) and Mr Vijaygiri Anandgiri Goswami at the Mombasa Law Courts during the mention of their case on November 20, 2014. The US is seeking extradition of Mr Baktash Akasha Abdalla, Mr Ibrahim Akasha Abdalla, Mr Vijay Goswani, and Mr Hussein Shabakash, who are wanted on charges of conspiracy to traffic in drugs in the US and Kenya. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT |
What you need to know:
- A letter dated November 17 underlines the importance the US government places on the extradition of Mr Baktash Akasha Abdalla, Mr Ibrahim Akasha Abdalla, Mr Vijay Goswani, and Mr Hussein Shabakash aka “Old Man”, who are wanted on charges of conspiracy traffic in drugs in the US and Kenya.
- On Tuesday, Inspector-General of Police David Kimaiyo was directed to ensure the accused do not leave the jurisdiction of the court without an order.
The US government has directly petitioned Kenya’s Foreign Affairs ministry to hand over the two sons of slain drug baron Ibrahim Akasha and two of their associates wanted by a New York court for alleged drug trafficking, the Sunday Nation has learnt.
A letter dated November 17 underlines the importance the US government places on the extradition of Mr Baktash Akasha Abdalla, Mr Ibrahim Akasha Abdalla, Mr Vijay Goswani, and Mr Hussein Shabakash aka “Old Man”, who are wanted on charges of conspiracy to traffic in drugs in the US and Kenya.
Documents the Sunday Nation obtained from New York’s Southern District Court last week allege the suspects were part of a Kenya-based international drug trafficking cartel.
“The Akasha Organisation has engaged in, among other things, the production and distribution of...quantity of narcotics within Kenya and throughout Africa.
Moreover, the Akasha Organisation’s distribution network extends beyond the African continent and includes the distribution of narcotics for importation into the United States,” the document indicated.
The four were arrested two weeks ago after an eight-month undercover operation by US anti-narcotics agents posing as Colombian drug dealers.
GRANTING OF BAIL
The US embassy in Nairobi wrote to Kenya on November 10 requesting the arrests.
In its latest letter to the Kenyan government, the US quotes an extradition treaty between the UK (Kenya’s colonial power) and the US that was signed in 1931 and renewed after independence, and the 1998 United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs, among others, to justify their request.
Last Thursday, lawyers for the accused asked for bail and promised to abide by any conditions.
Assistant Director of Public Prosecution Alexander Muteti, however, opposed the application, saying there were “no changed circumstances” to warrant the granting of bail.
On Tuesday, Inspector-General of Police David Kimaiyo was directed to ensure the accused do not leave the jurisdiction of the court without an order.
Mr Muteti said the government had no intention of handing over the suspects to any authority without complying with extradition laws.
The case will be mentioned on December 1.
