Policewoman, husband charged with trafficking heroin released on bond

Said Abdalla (right), Hamndi Yusuf (centre) and Maalim Ibrahim (left) listen to their charges at Mombasa Court. [Omondi Onyango/Standard]

A policewoman and her husband charged with trafficking heroin worth Sh805,000 have been released on bond a week after they were detained by the court in Mombasa.

Hamdi Yussuf Maalim Ibrahim, a general police officer, was charged together with her husband Said Mohamed Abdalla for trafficking 268.5 grams of heroin worth Sh805, 000 in a rented room in Diani, Kwale County.

Mombasa Resident Magistrate Ritta Amwai released the two on a bond of Sh500,000 each. They were also directed to deposit their passports in court.

The prosecution had opposed the bond application and claimed that the two were likely to interfere with ongoing investigations pending trial.

State prosecutor Rosemary Nandi argued that if the two were released, they would continue with the trade.

She said that police were investigating an international narcotics syndicate and would wish the two to remain in custody until the case is concluded.

“We oppose the release of the two on bond since the second accused is a police officer and she is likely to interfere with investigations that extend to other countries,” argued Nandi.

She said this was a transnational organized crime involving a syndicate operating in different countries, hence investigations were likely to extend beyond Kenya to unearth more offences, operatives and accomplices.

Their lawyer, however, argued that the accused were innocent until proven guilty and police were basing their allegations on sheer speculation.