A Nairobi court has sentenced a Nigerian national to eight years in prison after he was found guilty of trafficking cocaine in two separate incidents within the city.
The convict, identified as Alabi Tunde Lateef, faced three counts lodged against him, two of which involved the trafficking of narcotic drugs. The ruling was delivered at the Milimani Law Courts, where the presiding magistrate emphasized the seriousness of drug-related crimes and the need to protect society from their devastating effects.
On the first count, Lateef was accused of trafficking narcotic drugs contrary to section 4 (a) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Control Act No. 4 of 1994. Court records show that on September 11, 2017, while in the General Post Office area within Nairobi County, he was found in possession of 75.4 grammes of cocaine, with a street value of Ksh377,000.
The second count involved a separate incident on the same day in the Kasarani, Mwiki area of Nairobi, where he was caught trafficking 102.7 grammes of cocaine, valued at Ksh517,800. The prosecution argued that both incidents were clear indications of organized drug trafficking activities.
Lateef also faced a third count of unlawful residence in Kenya, under section 53 of the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act 2011, for being in the country without a valid passport or permit. However, the court dismissed this charge, discharging him under section 35 (1) of the Penal Code.
During the trial, the convict admitted to previous drug-related convictions at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport court. When asked about these past cases, he confirmed that he had been convicted twice before. In mitigation, Lateef pleaded for forgiveness and expressed remorse, asking the court for leniency.
Despite his apology, the court noted his repeated involvement in narcotic trafficking and sentenced him to eight years on each of the two counts. The magistrate ordered that the sentences run concurrently, meaning he will serve a total of eight years in prison.
The ruling underscores the judiciary’s commitment to curbing narcotics trade, a crime that continues to pose significant challenges to Kenya’s security and public health. Authorities maintain that such convictions serve as a warning to others involved in similar activities.
