Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho now wants International Police Organisation (Interpol) to clarify reports that he is in the wanted list of drug barons.
Joho has written to the Paris-based Office of General Secretary of Interpol, seeking to know if it’s true that he being sought for arrest purportedly for charges of organised crimes, including drugs trafficking.
The governor, through his lawyer DBM Mosota, said he has been made aware of a statement issued on November 10, 2018, purportedly from the Interpol listing him among the fugitives.
The letter, which has been circulating widely especially on social media, has given fodder for Joho’s critics with some political leaders calling on President Uhuru Kenyatta to hand over the governor to international authorities.
Nine suspects
“The Special Operations Divisions of the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) has requested the General Secretariat of the International Police Organisation (Interpol), to issue Interpol Red Notice or diffusion of the following individuals for arrest and processing by the Southern District of New York for prosecution,” the alleged letter states.
It names nine suspects, it claims, are part of a sophisticated international drug trafficking network, responsible for tons of narcotic shipments throughout the world and includes the name of Ali Hassan Joho.
Joho, however, says that the statement and notice make serious allegations pertaining his character and has substantially negatively affected his professional and personal life.
Mosota told Interpol that his client has, therefore, been subjected to the court of public opinion without being given an opportunity to refute claims of purported involvement in organised crimes.
“This has caused irreparable damage and will continue to do so if there is no official confirmation from your office on the authenticity or lack thereof of the said statement and notice,” the letter dated January 29, 2019, states in part.
The letter has been copied to Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti.
Joho is enraged that the purported document has been used widely to tarnish his name in spite of him not being among those listed in the official Interpol website for most wanted fugitives.
“It is, therefore, in our client’s interests, the interests of all residents of the county of Mombasa and the nation as a whole that your office informs us on the authenticity or lack thereof of the statement,” Mosota adds.
Public perception
In light of the high ranking and internationally respected role of Interpol in the apprehension of wanted persons and prosecution of organised crimes, Joho tells the body, there is the heightened inclination by the public in the belief of the contents of the statement and notice purportedly from them.
“The circulation of statements or notices without any form of verification of the authenticity of such statements prejudices our client’s credibility in refuting the claims publicly as well as the credibility of any subsequent communiqués from Interpol,” he argues.
Last week, the governor threatened to sue his Nandi counterpart Stephen Sang and MPs Oscar Sudi (Kapseret), Kimani Ichung’wah (Kikuyu) and Didimus Barasa (Kimilili) for linking him to drug trade.
In December 2010, Joho, then Kisauni MP, was among four MPs and a Mombasa tycoon named in the National Assembly by the then Internal Security Minister George Saitoti in connection with the illegal trade, citing a report by the US Embassy.
