Fresh hurdle in Joyce Akinyi’s Sh4.2m drug trafficking case
A drug trafficking case facing controversial Nairobi businesswoman Joyce Akinyi might start afresh in October after the trial magistrate was transferred.
Principal Magistrate Bernard Ochoi was last month transferred from Kibera court to Mukurwe-ini in Nyeri county before concluding the case.
On Monday, chief magistrate Joyce Gandani directed the case to be mentioned before senior principal magistrate Barbara Ojoo on October 9.
Ms Akinyi and her co-accused will have the option to ask the court to hear the case afresh or continue from where it had reached.
Several witnesses including police officers who arrested the suspects had testified.
In the case, Ms Akinyi is charged with possession of narcotic drugs.
HEROIN
It is alleged that on March 25, 2016 at Dam Two estate in Lang’ata, Nairobi, jointly with John Alex, Rispa Auma and Kelvin Odour, they were found in possession of heroin valued at Sh4.2 million.
She is also accused together with John Alex of trafficking heroin at her Deep West Resort in Lang’ata, Nairobi, on March 25 last year.
The alleged narcotic drug had a value of Sh94,000.
John Alex Otieno, Risper Auma and Kelvin Oduor are separately charged with trafficking 1833.6 grams of cocaine valued at Sh4.6 million.
The three were allegedly found at a house in Dam estate, Langata, with sachets containing the proscribed drug on March 25. The charges were merged.
Ms Akinyi is out on Sh500,000 bond.