Eight Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers have been charged in court with trafficking methamphetamine worth more than KSh 192 million. The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) opposed their release on bond, arguing risks of witness interference. The court will rule on the application on Thursday.
Eight Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate Gladys Olimo at the Mombasa Law Courts on January 7, 2026, facing charges of trafficking methamphetamine valued at over KSh 192 million. All the officers denied the allegations. Prosecutors stated that the suspects were found with varying quantities of the drug and had used residential premises to hide it.
The first suspect was charged with trafficking 2,601 grams worth KSh 20.8 million, while a second faced conspiracy to traffic. A third suspect, not from the KDF, also faced conspiracy charges.
The third and fourth suspects were accused of conspiring to traffic 14,321 grams valued at KSh 114.6 million, along with two additional counts of trafficking 5,380 grams (KSh 43 million) and 8,941 grams (KSh 71.5 million). Another non-KDF suspect faced similar charges.
The fifth and sixth suspects were charged with conspiring to traffic 1,319 grams worth KSh 10.5 million, while the seventh and eighth were accused of trafficking 2,535 grams valued at KSh 20.2 million.
Prosecution counsel Brenda Oganda from the ODPP opposed bond, telling the court that the seriousness of the offenses and the suspects' military backgrounds posed a real risk of witness interference and compromised investigations. This follows a multi-agency security operation over a month ago, where a dhow carrying 1,024 kilograms of methamphetamine was intercepted, with some KDF officers accused of stealing portions of the drugs.
Two weeks earlier, seven soldiers were released after the ODPP could not proceed without confirmation from the government chemist that the substances were narcotics. The court is set to rule on the bond application on Thursday, deciding if the accused will remain in custody or be freed under strict conditions.
