Form Three girl among 60 people arrested in Mombasa drug swoop

Some of the 65 suspects who appeared before a Mombasa Court on Monday August 31, 2015 over drug related offenses. [PHOTO: KELVIN KARANI/STANDARD]

MOMBASA: A Form Three female student is among 60 youths who were arraigned at Mombasa Law Courts Monday over drug related charges.

The student from Ibubi Girls High School in Emuhaya Constituency was arrested Monday in an ongoing police swop in the county after President Uhuru Kenyatta issued a directive to crack a whip on drug abuse in the county.

In his statement while opening the Mombasa Agricultural Society of Kenya ASK show, the president said that all the ships nabbed with drugs will be sunk without question.

Uhuru also gave an order to the security forces to clean up all the drug dens in the county that has seen most of the youths turn into zombies as a result of abusing the drugs.

The 16-year-old student was arrested with 35 rolls of bhang valued at Sh6,000 while on transit at Mikindani as she was preparing to go back to school.

Appearing before Chief Magistrate Richard Odenyo, the student pleaded not guilty to the charges with tears rolling down her cheeks.

The student’s lawyers Richard Magolo said that the girl had been mistaken in a police swoop.

Magolo said that the student was due to travel back to school Monday and she was in the process of preparing.

“The student has shown me her school identity and her travelling ticket to Emuhaya indicates she is to travel at 3:45pm,” said Magolo who pleaded the court to give her lenient bond terms.

The lawyer said the officers who had arrested the girl failed to use their IQ as expected by their bosses.

However, state prosecutor Lydia Kagori said the student should be given a bond that is commensurate with the offense.

Lydia said she was yet to receive any evidence proving that the girl was a student of the said school or if indeed she was due to travel.

The magistrate gave a bond of Sh200,000 with one surety and she is scheduled to appear in court for hearing on November 26, 2015.

Other youths will stand hearing on Thursday after the prosecutor requested for more time to avail more facts from the offers.

Most of the youths who were arrested in various drug dens across the county with rolls of cannabis, sachets of heroin and local brew pleaded guilty and are set to come for hearing on Thursday after the prosecutor avails more facts to the charges.

Mombasa County Commissioners Nelson Marwa last week identified Bokole, Magongo Mwisho, Sheli Beach, Chaani and Bamburi Mwisho as hotspots for drug peddlers.

He vowed to intensify the war against drug abuse in the county adding that they were now targeting middlemen who are sell drugs to the consumers.