Briton in drugs case out on Sh70m bond

Jack Alexander Wolf in court. A Nairobi court yesterday released the Briton and a Kenyan arrested in connection with 99kg of cocaine impounded in Mombasa. (PHOTO: COURTESY)

A Nairobi court yesterday released a Briton and a Kenyan arrested in connection with 99kg of cocaine impounded in Mombasa.

Jack Alexander Wolf, who according to British newspapers is the grandson of a colonial Cabinet minister, was released on a Sh70 million bond with two sureties. He was remanded at Industrial Area prison pending the processing of his bond. According to the prosecution, Wolf and Kenyan Roy Francis Mwanthi were charged with trafficking narcotics with a street value of about Sh598 million.

Mr Wolf, who denied the charges last Thursday, was remanded in custody until yesterday after the prosecution opposed their release on grounds that he was a flight risk.

Kibera Senior Principal Magistrate Derrick Kuto allowed the prosecution to appeal the ruling on bond but declined to stay the ruling.

The magistrate ordered Wolf to deposit his passport in court pending hearing and determination of the case.

"The accused person is hereby directed to be reporting to the investigating (officer) once every week," the magistrate said.

Mr Mwanthi was released on a Sh60 million bond with two sureties. He was also required to deposit his passport in court.

Yesterday, the prosecution said the two cases would be consolidated during trial as Wolf and Mwanthi were facing a similar charge.

In his ruling, Mr Kuto said the prosecution failed to convince the court that the two should not be admitted to bail. He added that the offence they were facing was serious and deserved stiff bond terms.

The drugs were discovered in containers shipped from Brazil and destined for Uganda.

The court heard that the two trafficked the cocaine concealed in container number MEDU 3333950, through the Kilindini port on July 29.