Seven soldiers from the Kenya Defence Forces will remain in custody for 10 days as a Mombasa court allows investigators more time to complete forensic tests linked to a Sh192 million methamphetamine case.
Senior Resident Magistrate Gladys Ollimo granted the extension after the Anti-Narcotics Unit said it needed additional time to analyse electronics and other evidence recovered from the suspects.
The soldiers, identified as Duke Nyamwaya, Juma Mwinyifaki, Michael Kariuki, Elijah Mbogo Gacog’u, James Ekiru, Abdulrehman Salad, and Abdirahman Abdi Kuno, were arrested on December 11 in a coordinated operation by the DCI Headquarters and Mombasa Regional Headquarters.
Investigating officer PC Isaac Njoroge told the court that officers recovered more narcotics and 11 mobile phones of different brands, including Redmi, Tecno, Itel, Samsung Galaxy, Vivo, and Oppo, from the suspects’ homes and workplaces.
The magistrate approved forensic examination of all devices to establish communication links and possible connections to other suspects involved in the trafficking network.
The 25 kilograms of methamphetamine allegedly linked to the soldiers, packed in whitish crystalline packets, have not yet been weighed, sampled, or chemically tested. Prosecutors argued that releasing the soldiers could hinder the investigation, risk interference with witnesses, or allow the suspects to coordinate with accomplices still at large.
Prosecutors Yassir Mohammed and Brenda Oganda emphasized the high value of the drugs and the need to protect public interest, noting that thorough investigations were essential.
The court agreed, highlighting the size of the case, the pending forensic work, and potential flight risks. The next court mention is set for December 22.
This detention follows intense scrutiny after a major maritime interception on October 25, 2025, when authorities seized 1,024 kilograms of methamphetamine from a dhow off the Kenyan coast.
KDF issued a statement rejecting claims that some personnel stole part of the consignment during offloading.
“It has been alleged that during the operation, and as the narcotics were being offloaded for transport ashore, some KDF personnel involved in the mission stole and concealed a portion of the narcotics for personal gain,” the statement read. KDF clarified that the entire shipment remains secure under continuous multi-agency supervision.
The military also confirmed that personnel suspected of involvement are under investigation.
“The suspected KDF personnel are currently under investigation by the relevant authorities. Should the allegations be substantiated, appropriate disciplinary and legal measures will be taken in accordance with the law,” KDF said, underlining its commitment to transparency.
The October seizure, one of the largest maritime drug interceptions in recent years, involved six Iranian nationals arrested on board the dhow, all facing trafficking charges.
Interpol confirmed that the operation used intelligence shared by the Regional Narcotics Interagency Fusion Cell in Bahrain and the Regional Coordination Operations Centre in Seychelles, with support from the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
Authorities recovered 769 packets weighing a total of 1,024 kilograms, confirmed by the government chemist to contain methamphetamine with 98 percent purity.
The drugs are estimated at over Sh8.2 billion (USD 63 million). Investigations continue under the Anti-Narcotics Unit, highlighting the importance of international intelligence sharing in countering maritime drug trafficking along the East African coastline.
