Why Akasha accomplices are still roaming free

The US government’s delay in wrapping up plea bargains with four drug trafficking suspects has stalled plans to prosecute several high profile businessmen and government officials that helped prop up one of the world’s biggest drug empires run by brothers Ibrahim and Baktash Akasha.

The two brothers were extradited to New York, USA, alongside foreigners Gulam Hussein (Pakistani) and Vijaygiri Goswami (Indian) on January 28, 2017, where drug and arms trafficking charges were awaiting them.

The Akasha brothers and Mr Goswami confessed to several crimes in exchange for lenient jail terms. In their confessions, the three revealed new evidence against several Kenyans who aided them to manufacture and traffic drugs, while also dealing in illegal weapons.

The new evidence is expected to be shared with Kenyan authorities.

Some of the suspects believed to have aided the Akashas could be extradited to New York, as they broke some US laws.

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji told the Nation in a Monday afternoon interview that the US is still hanging on to evidence that would have borne progress, and Kenya’s hands are tied in the matter.

25-year jail sentence

“Upon prosecution, there was new evidence that came up, and which we did not have as Kenya. The evidence is with the US. Some of these people (suspected Akasha protectors) are in Kenya, Pakistan and other countries. So as Kenya, we are waiting to be given the evidence against the Kenyan individuals and once that is done, we will be able to move to court,” Mr Haji said.

The US has since the extradition remained silent on the names of Kenyans that assisted the Akashas.

Security sources have in the past intimated to the Nation that two Cabinet secretaries, a governor, a top lawyer, a senior detective, two judges and two magistrates are among the prominent Kenyans being investigated by the US Department of Justice.

Ibrahim Akasha’s deal with the American authorities got him a 23-year jail sentence, while Baktash was slapped with a 25-year term.

In their 2018 confessions, the Akashas stated that they paid more than Sh400 million to policemen, judges, powerful politicians and other government bureaucrats to protect the drug empire they inherited from their father, Ibrahim Akasha, who was shot dead in Amsterdam in May 2000.

There has, however, been no movement in investigations or prosecution as the US is yet to complete its legal processes with the four individuals extradited four years ago.

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