AfriPulse
A Kenyan court has sentenced a Thai national to 27 years in prison after convicting him of drug trafficking in a case concluded at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) Law Courts.
Senior Principal Magistrate Irene Gichobi, who presides over the specialised court based at the airport, found the accused guilty of trafficking more than two kilograms of cocaine through JKIA.
Court proceedings established that the suspect, identified as Netima Ngamsap, was arrested while in possession of 2,092 grams of cocaine with an estimated street value of Ksh8.3 million.
The court was told that, at the time of his arrest, the narcotics had been hidden inside a specially engineered false compartment at the base of a grey suitcase.
A ‘Kwaheri Kenya’ sign at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA)
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Larry Madowo
Prosecutors informed the court that the drugs had been deliberately concealed to avoid detection by airport security personnel. The accused was charged under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act.
According to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), State Counsel John Tago led the prosecution’s case and called 11 witnesses whose testimonies consistently linked the accused to the seized drugs. The court found the evidence sufficient to sustain a conviction.
Throughout the trial, the accused was represented by a defence lawyer. To safeguard his right to a fair hearing, the court also provided the services of a certified Thai interpreter.
Upon sentencing, the magistrate informed the convict that he had the right to appeal both the conviction and the 27-year sentence at the High Court within 14 days.
The development comes as another case involving a foreign national remains ongoing after the suspect was arrested at the same airport while allegedly attempting to smuggle 41.7 kilograms of bhang.
The 57-year-old man, also from Bangkok, allegedly attempted to evade authorities but was apprehended following a coordinated investigation in July last year.
The court heard that he had already cleared immigration and was waiting for his luggage to be screened by customs officials when he allegedly staged a fake phone call.
He reportedly left the two suspiciously heavy bags at the screening area and exited the airport, only for officers to recover the drug haul shortly afterwards.
An image of a court gravel
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CapitalFM
Source: Kenyans.co.ke | Read the Full Story…
