Three foreigners and a Kenyan were Thursday charged at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport law courts for allegedly operating a clandestine laboratory in Kajiado contrary to section 5B (1)(a) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act.
The court heard that Isreal Alvarado Vera, a Mexican, Egwu Ogba Mba, a Nigerian, Ojukwu Awu Alias Pastor, a Nigerian, and Betty Mukami Micheni, a Kenyan, allegedly operated a clandestine laboratory in contravention of the provisions of the law.
The accused persons were also charged with the offence of being in possession of precursor chemicals, including Methylamine 40%, Ethanol, Phenilacetone 99%, tartaric acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Acetone, and Toluene, among other related substances, and with the additional offence of being in possession of proceeds of crime being a piece of land in Kajiado County.
Egwu Ogba Mba was separately charged with an additional charge of being in Kenya unlawfully and without a relevant permit.
Prosecution Counsel Ligami Shitsama told the court that the accused persons allegedly committed the offence on diverse dates between March 15 2024 and September 12, 2024 in Ololepo village within Oloililai Sub -County in Kajiado.
All the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges before Senior Principal Magistrate Njeri Thuku.
In an affidavit opposing their release on bond, the prosecution led by Allen Mulama stated various reasons supporting their application noting that the accused persons were foreign nationals involved in the illicit trafficking of the chemicals, investigations involved other agencies local and International, and have so far unearthed a well-oiled and organized International criminal syndicate.
The prosecution further told the court that the offence which the accused persons are facing is serious and attracts severe penalties upon conviction a fine of not less than twenty million shillings or twenty years imprisonment or both in which the Accused persons might be tempted to abscond court.
Mulama also added that the 1st Accused person Betty Mukami Micheni is a holder of two valid East African community passports with immigration travel records showing the accused person has travelled to India where some of the recovered chemicals originated.
The case will be mentioned on October 30 2024.
Elsewhere, a 39-year-old woman was arraigned before the Kikuyu Law Courts on 36 counts of child pornography, indecent acts with minors, and child abuse.
The woman, who operated a daycare, is accused of using minors, approximately two-years-old, to produce pornographic content by making them engage in sexual intercourse and of indecently touching their private parts.
The images and videos were discovered by chance when she misplaced her phone, which was later found, and the person who found it accessed it in an attempt to trace its owner.
The prosecution opposed her release on bond, citing threats to her own safety as she was nearly lynched at the time of her arrest, as well as concerns regarding witness interference and the likelihood of her absconding, considering the seriousness of the charges.
The prosecution also opposed the supply of the pornographic images and videos to the accused, arguing that this would amount to further distribution in furtherance of the offense.
The prosecution maintained that the accused would have reasonable access to the materials in preparation for her defence.
The matter is being handled by Christine Atieno of the ODPP Kikuyu and Victor Preston Owuor of the ODPP Children Division.
The case will be mentioned on November 7, 2024 for a ruling on bail/bond after the presentation of a pre-bail report.
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