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Kenya

Akasha brothers whereabouts unknown, lawyer Ombetta tells court

According to their lawyer Cliff Ombetta, the Akasha’s and two other foreigners were kidnapped by people believed to be police officers over the weekend/FILE

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 30- The State has denied arresting two sons of slain drug baron Ibrahim Akasha and two foreigners who are fighting extradition to the United States over drug trafficking and related offences.

Principal Prosecution Counsel Jami Yamina says the prosecution is not aware of their whereabouts as alleged by their lawyer Cliff Ombeta who claims they are in police custody.

The prosecution instead wants the court to issue a warrant of their arrest.

Ombeta said the four Ibrahim Akasha, Baktash Akasha, Vicky Goswami-Indian and Hussein Gulam were arrested by the State and want them to be produced in court.

Ombeta says the court should issue summons for the officers involved in the operation among them senior Anti Terrorism Police Unite (ATPU) head officers and others who were drawn from Nairobi.

While making the application, Ombeta claimed that the four were kidnapped by people suspected to be police officers drawn from Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and ATPU.

He said Deputy Director CID, Abubakar Maalim; head of ATPU Munga Nyale and senior Flying Squad officer from Special Crimes Prevention Unit Gicheru were involved in the operation.

Ombeta made another application to have PCIO Coast summoned to explain the circumstances behind the arrest of the four despite pending hearing and determination of their extradition cases.

He claims that they were booked for interrogation at various police stations in Mombasa in what he said appeared to be an investigation led by officers deployed from Nairobi.

Munga Nyale, Anti-Terror Police Unit (ATPU) boss and former head of the Flying Squad is said to be among the officers who led the operation that resulted into capturing of the suspects.

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The Akasha’s are not new to controversy with their recent appearance in court on drug-related accusations being in December 2016, when High Court Judge Justice Dorah Chepkwony changed their bond terms from Sh30 million to 5 million.

Mombasa Chief Magistrate Julius Nang’ea has however declined to issue any order and referred the matter to the High Court following stay order blocking lower court from hearing the case since it lacked jurisdiction.

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