The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)
Rosina John
4 June 2011
Dar es Salaam — Eight suspects including two Kenyans alleged to be drug dealers were yesterday charged with trafficking 5 kilogrammes of cocaine worth Sh225 million.The Kenyans, Ben Ngare and Anthony Karanja, were charged along with six Tanzanians including three women at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court.
The eight were arrested on Wednesday night in Dar es Salaam’s Mbezi suburb in the house of Mwanaidi Ramadhani Mfundo, who is believed to be a drug kingpin who has been black listed in many countries over her alleged involvement in the illicit business.
Charged along Ms Mwanaidi who is also identified as Mama Leila, were Sara Munuo, Alma Said, Yahya Ibrahim, Aisha Kungwi and Rajabu Juma. The accused were not allowed to enter any plea because the court does not have jurisdiction to hear the case.
State Attorney Patric Marogoi alleged that the accused were on June 1, this year, at Mbezi Beach area within Kinondoni District, arrested while trafficking 5kgs of cocaine worth Sh225 million.
The accused allegedly committed the offence contrary to Section 16(1) b (1) of the Drugs and Prevention of Illicit Trafficking Act.Mr Marogoi told resident magistrate Mustapha Siyami that investigation into the case was still on and asked the court to set another mention date for the case.
The accused will remain in remand until June 15, when their case will be mentioned again.Photographers jostling to get pictures of the accused had difficult time to capture faces of the women suspects who covered their faces with mats all the time they were present in court to hide their identity.
During the arrest, anti narcotic officers found the accused with the drugs stuffed in two small packets weighing 1kg each, labelled Coffee Care Original, apparently to conceal the substances.
And the arrest of the two Kenyans come at a time when US President Barrack Obama had named Kenya’s Kilome MP Harun Mwau and another Naima Mohamed Nakiniywa, among seven foreigners targeted by his government over narcotics.
There have been conflicting versions as to the nationality of Mama Leila. A source has confided to The Citizen on Sunday that the woman holds more than two passports and that she is well known in Kenya for engaging in drugs.
Police have said they were working with their counterparts in Kenya to get records and nationality of other suspects.
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