Mombasa heroin trafficker jailed for life

A 40-year-old woman has been jailed for life for trafficking 2,466.4 grams (2.4kg) of heroin worth more than Sh7.3 million.

Fatuma Sicobo Mohamed broke down in tears on Wednesday when the sentence was passed by a Shanzu court.

She sobbed uncontrollably when Senior Resident Magistrate David Odhiambo also imposed a fine of Sh22.1 million.

“In the circumstances, the accused (should) pay a fine of Sh22.1 million, which is thrice the value of drugs recovered from her, and in addition serve life imprisonment,” he said.

The magistrate also ordered that the drugs remain with the investigations officer for now and be destroyed no later than January 30, 2022.

But Ms Mohamed’s co-accused Masuo Bakari Tajiri, who also faced a similar charge, was acquitted for lack of evidence.

The magistrate noted that the state failed to link Mr Bakari to Ms Mohamed except that they were arrested together.

“I find that the prosecution has failed to prove its case against Mr Bakari for the offence of trafficking in narcotics by storing contrary to the law, and as such he is hereby acquitted…,” the magistrate said.

Hole in her window

But for Ms Mohamed, the magistrate ruled that evidence tabled in court connected her to the hard drug that was seized next to her house in 2019.

“I find that the prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt against Ms Mohamed for the offence of drug trafficking by storing contrary to the law. She is hereby convicted of (offence),” he said.

In her defence, the woman had told the court that a hole in her window, which the state said she made to dispose of the narcotics upon seeing the police officers, had been there before detectives raided her house.

The magistrate ordered that money and items seized from Mr Bakari be returned to him or his family members.

Mr Bakari, who has another pending drug trafficking case in court, was allegedly abducted by unknown people.