Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06NAIROBI1311
2006-03-22 17:49:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Nairobi
Cable title:
KENYAN COURT ORDERS PROMPT DESTRUCTION OF COCAINE
how-toVZCZCXYZ0001 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHNR #1311 0811749 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 221749Z MAR 06 FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0517 INFO RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA PRIORITY 8345 RUEHDR/AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM PRIORITY 4577 RUEHDJ/AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI PRIORITY 4071 RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA PRIORITY 1262 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1915 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1891 RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA PRIORITY RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUEHNA/DEA HQS WASHDC PRIORITY RHMFISS/CJTF HOA PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L NAIROBI 001311
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
PRETORIA FOR DEA/WAGNER; THE HAGUE FOR DEA; BOGOTA FOR DEA;
LONDON FOR DEA; JUSTICE FOR OPDAT, JUSTICE FOR ICITAP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/08/2026
TAGS: SNAR PREL PINR KCRM PGOV ASEC KE UN
SUBJECT: KENYAN COURT ORDERS PROMPT DESTRUCTION OF COCAINE
REF: A. NAIROBI 1113
B. NAIROBI 511
Classified By: Political Counselor Michael J. Fitzpatrick for reasons 1
.4 (b,d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L NAIROBI 001311
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
PRETORIA FOR DEA/WAGNER; THE HAGUE FOR DEA; BOGOTA FOR DEA;
LONDON FOR DEA; JUSTICE FOR OPDAT, JUSTICE FOR ICITAP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/08/2026
TAGS: SNAR PREL PINR KCRM PGOV ASEC KE UN
SUBJECT: KENYAN COURT ORDERS PROMPT DESTRUCTION OF COCAINE
REF: A. NAIROBI 1113
B. NAIROBI 511
Classified By: Political Counselor Michael J. Fitzpatrick for reasons 1
.4 (b,d)
1. (C) Senior Principal Magistrate Aggrey Muchelule March 21
ordered the Kenyan government to begin immediate preparations
for the verification, analysis, and destruction of the more
than one ton (1141.5 kilos) of cocaine held in police custody
since its seizure in December 2004. Following the March 10
agreement among the Attorney General, the U.S. Ambassador and
the UK High Commissioner, the Director of Public
Prosecutions, Keriako Tobiko, submitted an application to
Muchelule March 15 urging the immediate destruction of the
drugs. Muchelule's ruling noted that as only samples were
ever introduced into the (almost concluded) court case, "it
is unforunate that the request to destroy the drug is comin
now. The destruction ought to have happened even before the
trial commenced" In rendering his decision, Muchelule went a
step further and ordered that the destruction commence at
11:00 a.m. on Friday, March 24. He also ordered that "the
destruction shall be preceded by analysis and verification
exercise that is internationally acceptable." According to
Tobiko, by specifying a particular date and time, Muchelule
has ensured that the executive is not able to "pocket" the
authority to destroy the drug haul and just "go back to
sleep."
2. (C) Muchelule's laudable schedule puts the ball firmly in
the government's court to effect the immediate destruction of
the cocaine. But the logistics required to coordinate the
international supervision of the destruction make it
impossible to meet this Friday's deadline. All parties
involved in the supervision: the DPP, the Government Chemist,
United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime, the US and UK
missions, and the Kenyan Police met for the second time in as
many weeks March 21 to coordinate the import of experts,
chemists, and analyst to participate in the verification,
analysis, and destruction. Despite efforts by some police
representatives to "short-cut" the necessary physical
verification, weighing, sampling and testing procedures, DPP
(with UNODC, US, and UK support) held firm for following
codified UNODC international "best practices." UNODC
conducted its first logistics tour of the police facility
March 22. DEA/Pretoria field agent and two US-based chemists
are to arrive this weekend, as are two UK team members.
Tobiko plans to inform Muchelule during Friday's "mentioning"
of the current cocaine case that the government has begun
preparations for the exercise but that additional time is
required to ensure international monitoring teams are in
place and prepared to participate. US and UK Charges
d'Affaires both intend to attend the March 24 court
mentioning in a visible show of support for the government's
efforts to properly inspect, verify, weigh, sample, test, and
destroy this record cocaine haul ASAP. Post thanks DEA, in
advance, for its assistance in ensuring a successful
conclusion to this 18-month saga.
BELLAMY
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
PRETORIA FOR DEA/WAGNER; THE HAGUE FOR DEA; BOGOTA FOR DEA;
LONDON FOR DEA; JUSTICE FOR OPDAT, JUSTICE FOR ICITAP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/08/2026
TAGS: SNAR PREL PINR KCRM PGOV ASEC KE UN
SUBJECT: KENYAN COURT ORDERS PROMPT DESTRUCTION OF COCAINE
REF: A. NAIROBI 1113
B. NAIROBI 511
Classified By: Political Counselor Michael J. Fitzpatrick for reasons 1
.4 (b,d)
1. (C) Senior Principal Magistrate Aggrey Muchelule March 21
ordered the Kenyan government to begin immediate preparations
for the verification, analysis, and destruction of the more
than one ton (1141.5 kilos) of cocaine held in police custody
since its seizure in December 2004. Following the March 10
agreement among the Attorney General, the U.S. Ambassador and
the UK High Commissioner, the Director of Public
Prosecutions, Keriako Tobiko, submitted an application to
Muchelule March 15 urging the immediate destruction of the
drugs. Muchelule's ruling noted that as only samples were
ever introduced into the (almost concluded) court case, "it
is unforunate that the request to destroy the drug is comin
now. The destruction ought to have happened even before the
trial commenced" In rendering his decision, Muchelule went a
step further and ordered that the destruction commence at
11:00 a.m. on Friday, March 24. He also ordered that "the
destruction shall be preceded by analysis and verification
exercise that is internationally acceptable." According to
Tobiko, by specifying a particular date and time, Muchelule
has ensured that the executive is not able to "pocket" the
authority to destroy the drug haul and just "go back to
sleep."
2. (C) Muchelule's laudable schedule puts the ball firmly in
the government's court to effect the immediate destruction of
the cocaine. But the logistics required to coordinate the
international supervision of the destruction make it
impossible to meet this Friday's deadline. All parties
involved in the supervision: the DPP, the Government Chemist,
United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime, the US and UK
missions, and the Kenyan Police met for the second time in as
many weeks March 21 to coordinate the import of experts,
chemists, and analyst to participate in the verification,
analysis, and destruction. Despite efforts by some police
representatives to "short-cut" the necessary physical
verification, weighing, sampling and testing procedures, DPP
(with UNODC, US, and UK support) held firm for following
codified UNODC international "best practices." UNODC
conducted its first logistics tour of the police facility
March 22. DEA/Pretoria field agent and two US-based chemists
are to arrive this weekend, as are two UK team members.
Tobiko plans to inform Muchelule during Friday's "mentioning"
of the current cocaine case that the government has begun
preparations for the exercise but that additional time is
required to ensure international monitoring teams are in
place and prepared to participate. US and UK Charges
d'Affaires both intend to attend the March 24 court
mentioning in a visible show of support for the government's
efforts to properly inspect, verify, weigh, sample, test, and
destroy this record cocaine haul ASAP. Post thanks DEA, in
advance, for its assistance in ensuring a successful
conclusion to this 18-month saga.
BELLAMY