Nairobi’s allure for drug traffickers

By Cyrus Ombati

When British minister for Counter Terrorism and Narcotics, Kim Howells, visited Kenya in 2007 and announced the country had become a major transit point for drugs, many could not believe him.

A police officer sets drugs ablaze after it was produced in court as evidence. Photo: File/Standard

Two weeks ago, a Ghanaian national was arrested at JKIA with more than 800 grams of cocaine valued at Sh4 million while on transit to Asia. He was taken to court. Interestingly, anti-narcotics police say drug trafficking could be going on undetected because of the secretive nature of the drug kingpins’ operations.

But Police Commissioner Maj-Gen Hussein Ali believes Kenya is vigilant and has sustained the war on drug trafficking. He argues that many traffickers are now avoiding JKIA for other regional airports for fear of arrest.

"Many of these people are now avoiding JKIA because they know they will be caught. Anti-narcotics officers and other agents are alert," he says.

The deportation of the Nigerian national a fortnight ago is perhaps the latest indication of the effort in the fight against the vice.

He unsuccessfully put up a spirited legal battle to stop his deportation. Ken Amadu Obinah Okuoma was arrested by a dozen police and immigration officers who scaled a wall at his posh house in Nairobi’s Lavington Estate.

Police sources alleged Amadu operated under different pseudonyms, which included: Gilbert Chuma Anikwe alias Kenneth Adoh, alias Mr Chairman, alias Sam Ugutu, alias Oduor Ken Ozore alias Ken Madua, alias Kenneth Nuachuku. Immigration officials said he will never be allowed back to Kenya.

Police say he married an airhostess and bought her a five-bedroom house worth Sh20 million in one of the leafy estates in Nairobi in May, last year. He is also said to own several luxury cars.

Investigators said Amadu had invested heavily in the real estate sector in Nairobi, adding that he had been frequently changing residences, thus making it difficult for police and immigration officials to trace him. Security officials suspect that Amadu was never directly involved in day-to-day movement of drugs locally and internationally. They allege that he controls a cartel that runs the errands.

"His work was to ensure they are safely allowed a safe passage at main airports by paying various contacts who facilitate the movements," said our source.

Police say one of his accomplices, whom they did not name, has also been deported while another has gone underground.

Sources said he may have used a fake passport to sneak out of the country after learning that Amadu was behind bars.

Legal battle

After his arrest, Amadu’s advocate Kiraithe Wandugi went to court and obtained temporary orders stopping Immigration Minister Otieno Kajwang’ from deporting him.

This followed his arrest on December 22 at his Lavington residence along Isaac Kitangu Road after allegedly evading arrest more than three times. In their submission before the High Court, immigration and police officers said Amadu and three other foreigners were involved in a major drug and money laundering syndicate that threatened the security of Kenyans. High Court Judge Justice Joseph Nyamu said based on the content of classified documents presented to him, Amadu’s deportation would be in the best interest of the nation.

"I, therefore, decline to stop the intended deportation. He (Amadu) can always re-apply to come into Kenya," said Nyamu.

The judge also declined to temporarily stop the deportation pending an appeal Amadu intended to file to challenge the ruling.

Amadu was driven from Industrial Area Prison to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on January 20, under tight security and hounded onto a Kenya Airways plane destined for Lagos, Nigeria.

He had been held at the penal institution for more than two weeks after he refused to be deported and stripped naked while uttering obscenities at JKIA on Christmas Eve.

Born in Nigeria on July 3, 1967, Amadu moved to Kenya in 1994 through Uganda. Amadu is said to have taken over from another Nigerian-cum-Cameroonian Wilson Chakunte alias Mr President after he fled the country for Dubai for fear of being arrested. Mr President used to move in a chattered plane while monitoring the movement of his haul on the road in marked cars.

"He was a sly guy whom you could hardly doubt of being involved in the syndicate," said one officer who was investigating him.

Amadu is said to have been impersonating a foreign service officer.

Investigators say that a number of police officers and airline employees are under investigation for working with the suspected drug dealer. But police spokesman Eric Kiraithe denied any of his officers were working for the suspect.

Drug barons have been recruiting couriers, especially young women, who are lured by the promise of big money and lavish lifestyles.

While some are innocent people blackmailed by the drug lords, some have become seasoned ‘mules’ criss-crossing the world to distribute drugs.