Detectives from the Anti-Illegal Mining and Smuggling Investigations (AIMSI) arraigned three foreign nationals over unauthorized possession of emeralds valued at approximately Sh19 million.
On June 30, 2026, Milton Ivan Espana Diaz from the United States, Luis Carlos Garcia Ayala from Colombia, and Manuel De Jesus Arevalo Rodriguez from Mexico were arrested with raw emerald weighing 74 grams.
Preliminary investigations revealed that these individuals lacked proper documentation regarding the origins of the minerals in question, as well as a mineral dealer’s or trading license from the State Department for Mining.
Appearing before the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Kibera, the three faced two counts: dealing with minerals without a valid dealer’s license and unauthorized possession of precious minerals.
They pleaded not guilty to the charges and were admitted to a bond of Sh500,000 with surety of a similar amount, alternatively to cash bail of Sh200,000 with one contact person.
The court further ordered that their Passports be deposited in Court.
This case underscores the DCI’s commitment to combat illegal mining and ensure that those who exploit Kenya’s rich mineral resources without the proper legal framework are held accountable.
Meanwhile, detectives from Garissa Police Station arraigned a suspect before the Garissa Law Courts over alleged inflammatory remarks made in a viral TikTok video deemed to incite ethnic and religious hostility.
Investigations established that on April 23, 2026, Abdi Hassan Abdullahi, alias Sharu, uploaded the video to his TikTok account under the user name “sharu”, where he incited members of the Muslim community in Garissa County against non-Muslims.
Following his arrest on May 16, 2026, detectives concluded investigations and forwarded the case file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), which directed that he be charged with: Ethnic and Racial Contempt, contrary to Section 62(1) of the National Cohesion and Integration Act, No. 12 of 2008; and Cyber Harassment, contrary to Section 27 of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act.
On July 2, 2026, Abdullahi was arraigned before the Garissa Law Courts, where he pleaded not guilty to both charges. He was released on a bond of Sh500,000, with an alternative cash bail of Sh200,000.
The matter is scheduled for pre-trial proceedings on July 20, 2026.
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