Magistrate, officials arrested for mishandling Sh30m heroin exhibit

DCI boss George Kinoti has said the four were arrested after investigation. [Standard]

 Mombasa Principal Magistrate Edgar Kagoni and three court officials have been arrested for allegedly mishandling 10kg heroin exhibit worth Sh30 million.

Kagoni and the said court officials were arrested by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DC) and booked into various police stations in Mombasa after police claimed they were to blame for mishandling the exhibit.

”They have been arrested in connection with reckless handling of exhibits leading to the loss of 10kg of heroin valued at Sh30 million and cash of various currency valued over Sh600,000 in July this year at Mombasa law courts,”  said the DCI.

DCI boss George Kinoti said the four also led to a loss of Sh600,000 that had been held there as an exhibit in July 2019.

The magistrate has been booked at Kilindini police cells while Abdalla Awadh Abubakar, Executive assistant at Mombasa law courts is at Makupa police cells.

Lawrence Thoya Bayan, support staff at the court, is being held at Nyali cells while Onesmus Miinda Momanyi, a court assistant at Ruiru Law court is at ICD Nairobi and will be moved to Mombasa.

“They will face at least two charges. No one is above the law,” said Kinoti.

The charges include obstruction with intent to defeat justice and aiding and abetting trafficking in narcotic drugs at the Mombasa law courts.

The arrest could strain further the bad relation between the police and the Judiciary.

Kinoti said there was evidence to support the arrest.

"Our move to pounce on the four was backed by evidence after indepth investigation."