Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta Oversees Blasting Of Drug Ship
It was a hectic day for State officials who tried, in vain, to have the court overturn an earlier ruling that the ship could only be sank af...
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It was a hectic day for State officials who tried, in vain, to have the court overturn an earlier ruling that the ship could only be sank after 30 days, if its owners failed to claim it. At approximately 4.10pm, a huge explosion went off 18 nautical miles off the Kenyan coast as security men and officials cheered from the safety of three naval ships.
The explosion was a controlled detonation to destroy 370.8kg of heroin and the stateless ship on which it was impounded last month. Kenyatta flew into the operation theatre but did not land. Reports indicate that three kilogrammes of the declared drug haul was spared, apparently for further analysis by the Government chemist.
Despite the earlier ruling, Kenyatta declared on Thursday he would supervise the destruction, which would serve to illustrate Kenya seriousness in the war against drugs. But officials appeared to have realised the legal implications of what the President planned to do, and therefore, rushed to court yesterday morning to seek an order for the destruction.
Director of Public Prosecution Keriako Tobiko, flew to Mombasa and rushed to the High Court to try and review the earlier order but Justice Maureen Odero declined, saying there was no convincing reasons to do so. Your honour, the decision by the magistrate is a breach of the Constitution.
I do not see what was difficult in ruling that the vessel be destroyed yet he did not find it difficult to order the destruction of the drugs. Justice Odero said the destruction of the ship should await the completion of the trial of nine foreigners and three Kenyans accused of trafficking in the drug aboard the vessel. Apparently, this technicality and safety and environmental considerations forced the delay in detonation.
Source: Standard Media
The explosion was a controlled detonation to destroy 370.8kg of heroin and the stateless ship on which it was impounded last month. Kenyatta flew into the operation theatre but did not land. Reports indicate that three kilogrammes of the declared drug haul was spared, apparently for further analysis by the Government chemist.
Despite the earlier ruling, Kenyatta declared on Thursday he would supervise the destruction, which would serve to illustrate Kenya seriousness in the war against drugs. But officials appeared to have realised the legal implications of what the President planned to do, and therefore, rushed to court yesterday morning to seek an order for the destruction.
Director of Public Prosecution Keriako Tobiko, flew to Mombasa and rushed to the High Court to try and review the earlier order but Justice Maureen Odero declined, saying there was no convincing reasons to do so. Your honour, the decision by the magistrate is a breach of the Constitution.
I do not see what was difficult in ruling that the vessel be destroyed yet he did not find it difficult to order the destruction of the drugs. Justice Odero said the destruction of the ship should await the completion of the trial of nine foreigners and three Kenyans accused of trafficking in the drug aboard the vessel. Apparently, this technicality and safety and environmental considerations forced the delay in detonation.
Source: Standard Media
