The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP)

Foreigners in court for operating clandestine laboratory

Three foreigners and a Kenyan were charged at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) law courts with allegedly operating a clandestine laboratory in Kajiado contrary to section 5B (1)(a) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (CONTROL) ACT No.4 of 1994.

The court heard that Isreal Alvarado Vera, a Mexican, Egwu Ogba Mba, a Nigerian, Ojukwu Awu Alias Pastor, a Nigerian, and Betty Mukami Micheni, a Kenyan, allegedly operated a clandestine laboratory in contravention of the provisions of the aforesaid Act.

The accused persons were also charged with the offence of being in possession of precursor chemicals, including Methylamine 40%, Ethanol, Phenylacetone 99%, tartaric acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Acetone, and Toluene, among other related substances, and with the additional offence of being in possession of proceeds of crime being a piece of land in Kajiado county.

Egwu Ogba Mba was separately charged with an additional charge of being in Kenya unlawfully and without a relevant permit.

Prosecution Counsel Ligami Shitsama told the court that the accused persons allegedly committed the offence on diverse dates between 15th March 2024 and September 12, 2024 in Ololepo village within Oloililai Sub -County in Kajiado.

All the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges before Senior Principal Magistrate Njeri Thuku.

In an affidavit opposing their release on bond, the prosecution led by Allen Mulama stated various reasons supporting their application noting that the accused persons were foreign nationals involved in the illicit trafficking of the chemicals, investigations involved other agencies local and International, and have so far unearthed a well-oiled and organized International criminal syndicate.

Prosecutions further told the court that the offence which the accused persons are facing is serious and attracts severe penalties upon conviction a fine of not less than twenty million shillings or twenty years imprisonment or both in which the accused persons might be tempted to abscond court.

Mulama also added that the 1st accused person Betty Mukami Micheni is a holder of two valid East African community passports with immigration travel records showing the accused person has travelled to India where some of the recovered chemicals originated. The case will be mentioned on 30th October 2024.

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