A court in Mombasa has ordered 7 Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers to be detained for 10 days over allegations of diverting methamphetamine, which was seized in the Indian Ocean on October 19.
In a statement on Thursday, December 11, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) said the court ordered the soldiers' detention to allow investigators to complete forensic analysis.
Senior Resident Magistrate Gladys Ollimo granted the order following an application by the Anti-Narcotics Unit (ANU).
“A Mombasa court has ordered the detention of seven soldiers for 10 days to allow investigators to complete forensic analysis in a Sh192 million methamphetamine trafficking case,” read the statement in part.
The 7 KDF soldiers were arrested on December 11 in a joint operation involving detectives from the DCI Headquarters and Mombasa Regional Headquarters.
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The suspects include: Duke Nyamwaya, Juma Mwinyifaki, Michael Kariuki, Elijah Mbogo Gacog’u, James Ekiru, Abdulrehman Salad, and Abdirahman Abdi Kuno.
According to the ODPP, the 7 suspects diverted 25 kilograms of methamphetamine, packed in whitish crystalline packets valued at Ksh192 million.
Searches conducted in the suspects’ homes and workplaces led to the recovery of additional narcotics and 11 mobile phones, including Redmi, Tecno, Itel, Samsung, Vivo, and Oppo models.
Ollimo directed a forensic analysis to be conducted in all the recovered electronics to reveal communication patterns.
This comes days after KDF responded to reports alleging that some of its personnel stole part of a major drug consignment intercepted in the Indian Ocean.
In a statement on Tuesday, December 2, KDF acknowledged that allegations had emerged suggesting that some personnel stole part of the drugs while they were being offloaded.
"On 25th October 2025, a multi-agency security team, including personnel from the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), successfully intercepted a dhow off the coast carrying 1,024 kilograms of methamphetamine (crystal meth).
"It has been alleged that during the operation, and as the narcotics were being offloaded for transport ashore, some KDF personnel involved in the mission stole and concealed a portion of the narcotics for personal gain," the statement read.
However, the military was categorical that none of the drugs are missing, noting that the entire consignment remains secure under a multi-agency watch.
"We wish to clarify that the entire 1,024 kilograms of methamphetamine offloaded ashore remains intact and is under continuous, round-the-clock protection by a dedicated multi-agency security team," the statement added.
KDF added that investigations into the officers suspected of involvement are ongoing, and disciplinary action will follow if the claims are proven.
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