A Mombasa court has ordered the detention of seven soldiers for 10 days to allow investigators to complete forensic analysis in a KSh192 million methamphetamine trafficking case.
Senior Resident Magistrate Hon. Gladys Ollimo granted the order following an application by the Anti-Narcotics Unit (ANU).
The soldiers were arrested on December 11, 2025 in a joint operation involving detectives from the DCI Headquarters and Mombasa Regional Headquarters.
The suspectsโDuke Nyamwaya, Juma Mwinyifaki, Michael Kariuki, Elijah Mbogo Gacogโu, James Ekiru, Abdulrehman Salad, and Abdirahman Abdi Kunoโare alleged to have trafficked 25 kilograms of methamphetamine, packed in whitish crystalline packets.
According to investigating officer PC Isaac Njoroge, searches of the suspectsโ homes and workplaces led to the recovery of additional narcotics and 11 mobile phones, including Redmi, Tecno, Itel, Samsung Galaxy, Vivo, and Oppo models.
Hon. Ollimo further authorized forensic analysis of all recovered electronics, which are expected to reveal communication patterns and links to a wider trafficking network.
The prosecution told the court that the seized drugs are yet to be weighed, sampled, and analyzed, as immediate analysis was impossible at the time of arrest.
Investigators argued that releasing the suspects could lead to witness interference, destruction of digital evidence, or coordination with accomplices still at large.
The prosecution team, led by Yassir Mohammed and Brenda Oganda, urged the court to consider the matterโs public interest and the need for a thorough probe.
The court agreed that the high value of the drugs, the technical nature of the forensic processes, and the possibility of flight risk justified extended detention.
The case will be mentioned on December 22 for further direction.
