How Meru man landed in Indian jail for trying to smuggle in 66kg of miraa

27-year-old Richard Koome left Kenya with every young man’s dream, to find greener pastures.

Koome left his six-month pregnant wife and family members at home with news that he had traveled for a business venture to India.

But he had no idea his life would change in an instant.

On May 28, 2018, he landed at the Mumbai Airport in possession of 66Kg of Miraa (Khat) and Indian officers were quick to pounce on him.

In India, Miraa is classified as a narcotic and after due process, Koome was jailed in the Taloja Central Prison.

According to Koome’s mother, it was a man named Yusuf who influenced Koome to smuggle the drug and later fled on realising that he could not raise the bond of Sh1million.

The mother claimed that she sent Sh5000 to both Yusuf and another person who claimed to be in India in efforts to reach out to her son but both individuals conned her.

A year and four months later, in September 2019, Koome called and confirmed he was indeed in legal custody.

His mother, Zipporah Nkatha, tried to conduct a fundraiser for her son but it was not fruitful.