Widow of slain coast drug baron sentenced to 40 years in prison

The widow of the slain drug baron Swaleh Yusuf Ahmed alias Kandereni has been sentenced to 40 years for trafficking narcotics.

Mombasa Senior Resident Magistrate David Odhiambo, on behalf of Principal Magistrate Martin Rabera, also slapped the widow, Fatuma Ahmed, with a fine of Sh825,642,200.

Mr Swaleh was reported missing before his body was discovered in a thicket in the Kikambala area of Kilifi. He was facing multiple charges related to drug trafficking at the Coast alongside his wife, Fatuma. 

Fatuma was convicted of trafficking 91738 grams of heroin with a street value of Sh275,214,000 contrary to contrary to section 49(a) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act.

Principal Magistrate Rabera in his judgement ruled that the prosecution through Senior Prosecution Counsel, which presented 15 witnesses, proved its case beyond any reasonable doubt.

Fatuma was jointly charged with her slain notorious drug baron husband who was found dead on March 17, 2024, in Kilifi.

Swaleh, alias Candy Rain or Kandereni, the man said to have inherited the Akasha drug empire at Kenya's Coast, was executed under mysterious circumstances despite having drug-related cases in Mombasa and Shanzu Courts.

Fatuma was arrested in the year 2018. The court heard that on September 20, 2018, at Kikambala Housing Estate in Kilifi County, the two, Fatuma and the slain Swaleh, along with others not before the court, trafficked the heroin concealed in two brownish suitcases and a gunny bag in direct contravention of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act.

However, the court dropped charges against the late Swaleh after he was found dead under mysterious circumstances. Before his death, the court had placed him on his defense after the prosecution established a prima facie case against him.

While issuing submissions on sentencing, the prosecution counsel Ms Barbara Sombo opposed the accused to being granted a non-custodial sentence which the accused person through her advocate Mr Wangila had asked to consider.

Ms Sombo further submitted that the court should consider the weight of narcotics that was recovered in the accused house, to wit 91,735 grams, which if the drugs had reached the market, would have destroyed 91,000 lives if the same was to be sold in 1 gram.

In delivering the judgment, Hon Rabera noted that the prosecution had provided compelling evidence, including testimonies from officers who had conducted the raid at the residence of the accused.

The officers gave a detailed account how the exhibits were recovered in the presence of the public, with no indication that the items were planted.

“There is no evidential gap to suggest that the exhibits were tampered with or planted having reviewed and analyzed all the evidence, I find the charges against the accused proven beyond a reasonable doubt. The accused is hereby convicted as charged,” Principal Magistrate Rabera ruled.