Lawyer alleges seized drug haul belonged to politician

The haul of cocaine nabbed at a house in Utange, Mombasa County belonged to a politician, confirmed reports from the defence team allege.

Nuru Murshid Mahfudh, 29, a suspect who was found in possession of the Sh100 million worth of drugs believed to be cocaine in her Utange house, informed the court through her lawyer Eugene Wangila that the drugs recovered belonged to a politician.

In his revelation before Shanzu Chief Magistrate Florence Macharia, Wangila who did not reveal the identity of the politician further disclosed charges levelled against his client were politically instigated.

“I am planning to table a report, as part of the evidence that indicates that the drugs recovered were not in her possession further I will table before the court compiled evidence that shows the recovery and the charges are political,” Mahfudh’s lawyer informed the court.

On Friday last week, anti-narcotics unit officers together with officers from the transnational organized crime unit, arrested Mahfudh in Utange Kisauni sub-county following an intelligence report of persons dealing in narcotics drugs in the area.

It further emerged that the suspect in the matter, whose identity police were yet to reveal, had a Kenyan passport number A1801533 that was recovered alongside that of a man named Farid Shaban Athman.

Wangila further revealed that his client was two months pregnant and her continued detention was likely to risk her life and that of the unborn child.

In the application made before the court by Antinarcotics Unit investigating officer, George Odhiambo through the office of the director of public prosecutions, State Counsel Anthony Musyoka requested three more days to complete investigations.

“The suspected substances are yet to be weighed, sampled and analyzed with sampling and analysis only be conducted by designated government analysts in the presence of the respondent that given the quantity and high value of the drugs, the weighing scales and other material recovered.

It is apparent that the suspect is either a distributor or working with the peddlers, and that her release pending investigations may not only endanger her life but also pose a threat to potential witnesses,” said Musyoka.