A middle-aged man has been charged before the Mombasa Law Courts over alleged trafficking of methamphetamine worth Ksh114.57 million, in a case linked to a larger Ksh8.2 billion drug haul allegedly recovered from six Iranians.
In a statement on Wednesday, August 12, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) said Martin Mugendi Gitonga appeared before Mombasa Law Courts Senior Principal Magistrate Gladys Olimo where he denied the charge.
The 14,321 grams of methamphetamine he is accused of trafficking are suspected to form part of the drugs connected to the pending case involving the six Iranian nationals.
"He was charged with conspiracy to traffic narcotic drugs contrary to Section 4(B)(4) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act No. 4 of 1994, as amended by the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Control Amendment Act, 2022," the statement read.
According to the ODPP, Gitonga allegedly committed the offence together with other suspects, some of whom are already before the court, while others have not been charged.
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"The accused allegedly committed the offense jointly with others before the court and others not before the court on diverse dates between November 21 and 24, 2025, within the Republic of Kenya," the statement added.
Principal Prosecution Counsel Christine Mbevi told the court that another case related to the allegations was already pending before the same court and that the prosecution intended to consolidate the two matters.
Mbevi said the accused persons in the related case had been released on a surety bond of Ksh5 million or, alternatively, a cash bail of Ksh3 million.
She asked the court to consider similar terms for Gitonga.
Gitonga's lawyer urged the court to grant his client reasonable bond terms, arguing that he had no previous criminal record.
The defence also told the court that Gitonga was prepared to comply with all conditions imposed, including refraining from interfering with witnesses.
The defence further asked the prosecution to provide Gitonga with all documentary evidence it intends to rely on during the trial.
"Magistrate Olimo granted Gitonga a bond of Ksh2 million with two sureties, or an alternative cash bail of Ksh2 million, with two contact persons," the statement further read.
The case will be mentioned on August 30, 2026.
Elsewhere, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has arraigned two former employees of public institutions over allegations of forging and presenting academic certificates to secure employment.
In a statement on Wednesday, the agency said the suspects, John Murira Mwicigi, a former Security Supervisor at Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC), and Kevine Agweyo Okullo, a former Technician at Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital, appeared separately before the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court on Wednesday and denied the charges.
According to investigations by the EACC, Mwicigi allegedly presented a forged Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) certificate purportedly issued by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), indicating that he had studied at Githaiga Secondary School despite not being a student there.
The commission said Mwicigi used the alleged forged certificate to obtain employment at NCWSC and subsequently received salaries amounting to Ksh15.86 million between 2007 and December 2023, which the EACC considers fraudulent acquisition of public property.
In the second case, Okullo is accused of submitting a forged Certificate in Refrigeration Grade II Trade Test, purportedly issued by the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA), while applying for a Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Technician position at Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital.
"He was charged with providing false information, forgery and uttering a false document," the statement further read.
The EACC said the two suspects were each released on Ksh100,000 cash bail or a Ksh1 million bond with a surety of a similar amount.
