Six Iranian nationals charged with trafficking narcotic drugs valued at an estimated Sh8.2 billion have withdrawn their earlier guilty pleas, prompting the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to reaffirm its determination to pursue the case to its conclusion.
The accused — Jaseem Darzadeh Nia, Nadeem Jadgal, Hassan Baloch, Raheem Baksh, Imran Baloch and Imtiyaz Daryay — appeared before Chief Magistrate Anthony Mwicigi, where they asked that the charges be read afresh, arguing that they did not fully understand them when they pleaded guilty two weeks ago.
After the charges were re-read, all six entered pleas of not guilty.
The DPP has charged the suspects with trafficking narcotic drugs contrary to Section 4(a)(1) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act, No. 4 of 1994, as amended in 2022. Prosecutors allege the accused were jointly involved in trafficking 1,036.044 kilograms of methamphetamine aboard an unregistered and stateless dark vessel named *Mashaallah*.
According to the prosecution, the offence was committed between October 17 and 20, 2025, on the high seas at coordinates Latitude 04°46.79’S and Longitude 045°27.42’E, approximately 350 nautical miles east of the Port of Mombasa. Authorities say the seizure highlights the growing threat of transnational maritime drug trafficking.
The prosecution team, led by Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Joseph Kimanthi alongside Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Wanga Tito and Principal Prosecution Counsels Alex Ndiema and Susan Lewa, strongly opposed the release of the accused on bond. They argued that the suspects are foreign nationals with no known local residence or reliable ties, posing a high risk of absconding.
The court agreed with the prosecution and denied the accused bond, ordering that they be remanded at Shimo La Tewa Prison pending the hearing and determination of the case. The court also directed that pro bono legal counsel be appointed at state expense to safeguard the accused persons’ right to a fair trial.
The case is scheduled for pre-trial mention on February 19, 2026.
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