MOMBASA, Friday – In a major development, a Mombasa court has remanded seven soldiers for ten days to allow detectives to complete forensic analysis linked to a massive haul of methamphetamine valued at Sh192 million.
Senior Resident Magistrate Hon. Gladys Ollimo granted the Anti-Narcotics Unit (ANU) application for detention of the suspects following their dramatic arrest on December 11 in a joint operation involving sleuths from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Headquarters and Mombasa Regional Headquarters.
The seven—Duke Nyamwaya, Juma Mwinyifaki, Michael Kariuki, Elijah Mbogo Gacog’u, James Ekiru, Abdulrehman Salad, and Abdirahman Abdi Kuno—are linked to the trafficking of 25 kilograms of the illicit drug, packed in whitish crystalline packets.
According to the investigating officer, PC Isaac Njoroge, a sweep of the suspects' residences and workplaces led to the recovery of additional narcotics and eleven mobile phones of assorted makes—including Redmi, Tecno, Itel, Samsung Galaxy, Vivo, and Oppo.
Hon. Ollimo further directed that the gadgets undergo forensic analysis to uncover communication patterns and possible links to wider trafficking networks still at large.
The prosecution—led by Yassir Mohammed and Brenda Oganda—informed the court that the seized drugs are yet to be weighed, sampled, and analysed in government laboratories, as immediate examination was impossible at the time of arrest.
Flight Risk, Evidence Tampering Fears
Investigators had urged the court not to release the suspects, citing credible fears of witness interference, destruction of digital evidence, and coordination with accomplices still in hiding.
The prosecution emphasised the seriousness of the offence, the high street value of the meth, and the public interest in ensuring a thorough and watertight probe.
In her ruling, Hon. Ollimo agreed that the technical nature of forensic processes, the gravity of the case, and the potential flight risk justified holding the suspects longer.
The matter will be mentioned on December 22 for further directions.
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