Why six Iranians in Sh8.2bn meth case reversed guilty pleas

What was expected to be Kenya’s fastest conclusion of a major drug trafficking case took an abrupt turn on Friday after six Iranian nationals withdrew their guilty pleas in the Sh8.2 billion high-seas methamphetamine case.

The move reset the proceedings and significantly extended the trial.

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Two weeks earlier, the six accused — Jaseem Darzadeh Nia, Nadeem Jadgal, Hassan Baloch, Raheem Baksh, Imran Baloch and Imtiyaz Daryay — had pleaded guilty to trafficking 1,036 kilogrammes of methamphetamine intercepted in the Indian Ocean.

The pleas had raised expectations that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) would swiftly present facts and secure convictions within weeks.

On Friday, the Shanzu Magistrate’s Court was scheduled to move to Mtongwe Naval Base, where the drugs are being held. Instead, the accused returned to court and asked the charge be read afresh.

They told Chief Magistrate Anthony Mwicigi they had not understood the charge when they first pleaded guilty. After the charge was read again, all six pleaded not guilty.

The six foreign seafarers are charged with trafficking narcotic drugs.

They are accused of trafficking 1,036.044 kilogrammes of methamphetamine between October 17 and 20, 2025. The drugs were allegedly aboard an unregistered and stateless vessel, Mashaallah, about 350 nautical miles east of the Port of Mombasa.

The vessel was intercepted by the Kenya Navy, the Kenya Coast Guard Service and officers from the DCI. It was later escorted to the Port of Mombasa.

A court-sanctioned search uncovered 769 packages of a crystalline substance weighing about 1,036 kilogrammes. The Government Chemist later confirmed the substance was methamphetamine.

Following the withdrawal of the guilty pleas, the prosecution opposed the release of the suspects on bond. Prosecutors argued the accused are foreign nationals with no fixed abode or local contacts.

Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Joseph Kimanthi told the court that the risk of absconding was high. The prosecution asked that the suspects be remanded at Shimo La Tewa Prison pending the hearing and determination of the case.

Chief Magistrate Mwicigi agreed. He ordered that the six remain in remand at Shimo La Tewa Prison and set February 19, 2026, for pre-trial directions.

The court also directed that a pro bono advocate be appointed at state expense to represent the six Iranians.

The case is further complicated by related prosecutions involving eight former KDF officers and a civilian. They are accused of attempting to siphon part of the seized drugs after the vessel was escorted to shore.

Investigators believe methamphetamine recovered from the former officers, valued at Sh192 million, was part of the same Sh8.2 billion consignment seized at sea.

Those charged are Duke Nyamwaya Nyarige, Juma Mwinyifaki Juma, Michael Peter Kariuki, Elijah Mbogo, James Ekiru, Abdulrehman Salad Jara, Abdirahman Abdi Kuno, Peter Kipng’etich Tonui and civilian Mustafa Salim Johari.

They were released on a Sh5 million bond with two sureties each, or a cash bail of Sh3 million.

The suspects, all previously attached to the Mtongwe Naval Base, were arrested on December 11, 2025, about seven weeks after the high-seas seizure.

The former KDF officers face staggered court dates on February 9 and March 10, 2026.

INSTANT ANALYSIS

The withdrawal of guilty pleas by the six Iranian nationals has altered the trajectory of what had appeared to be a swift and decisive prosecution. By claiming they did not understand the charges, the accused have triggered a full trial, forcing the prosecution to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.