The prosecution secured a significant breakthrough after a Shanzu court ruled that six Iranian nationals facing charges over the trafficking of more than one tonne of methamphetamine have a case to answer.
Shanzu Chief Magistrate Anthony Mwicigi ruled that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against the six accused persons, paving the way for them to be placed on their defence under Section 211 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
The six, Jaseem Darzadeh Nia, Nadeem Jadgal, Hassan Baloch, Raheem Baksh, Imran Baloch and Imtiyaz Daryay, are charged with trafficking 1,036.044 kilograms of methamphetamine valued at approximately Sh8.2 billion.
The court made the determination after the prosecution presented 12 witnesses and closed its case, with the magistrate finding that the evidence adduced was sufficient to require the accused persons to respond to the charges.
The six are charged with trafficking in narcotic drugs contrary to Section 4(a)(ii) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act.
According to the prosecution, the accused persons, jointly with others, conveyed the consignment aboard the vessel Mashaallah, which was allegedly unregistered and stateless.
The vessel was intercepted on the high seas while carrying the suspected narcotics.
The alleged offence is said to have occurred between October 17 and 20 2025, in international waters.
Magistrate Mwicigi noted the unusual nature and scale of the case, observing that the evidence presented before the court had originated from the high seas and involved a vessel allegedly carrying more than one tonne of methamphetamin.
Prosecution is led by Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Joseph Kimanthi, Principal Prosecution Counsel Alex Ndiema and Prosecution Counsel Henrietta Mburu.
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