Nairobi court allows for extradition of Kenyan to face charges in America
A Nairobi court yesterday allowed the State to repatriate 60-year-old Kenyan wanted in the US for drug-related charges.
In her ruling, Milimani chief magistrate Martha Mutuku said that the application by the state for extradition of Mansur Mohamed Surur alias Mansour is merited.
“Upon hearing applicant on behalf of the office of the DPP in the presence of the respondent and counsel, orders are hereby issued for the extradition and surrender of the respondent, Mansur Mohamed Surrur alias Mansour from the republic of Kenya to the US in accordance with the provisions of Section 9 of the Extradition (Contiguous and Foreign Countries) Act, CAP 76, Laws of Kenya,” said the magistrate.
She directed that the fugitive Surur be detained at Evergreen Police Station, in Runda, Gigiri Police Division until 15 days expire as required in law before he is repatriated to the US.
The Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji through Senior Assistant DPP Catherine Mwaniki had also opposed the release on bond of Surur who is wanted in the US for drug-related offences.
The DPP had said that there are high chances that Surur could escape if released on bail.
Chartered flight
Mwaniki had told the court that the US government issued a warrant for the arrest for Surur following his indictment by a New York court for conspiracy to commit wildlife trafficking, money laundering and conspiracy to distribute and possess narcotic drugs.
She said that Surur was arrested on July 29 at the Moi International Airport, Mombasa after landing from Yemen in a chartered flight.
The prosecutor told the court that the police were investigating how he left the country despite the alert being issued by Interpol.
Long hand of law
He allegedly left the country through South Sudan and subsequently to Yemen.
Mwaniki had submitted that the DPP had received an extradition request from the USA and at the same time sought the arrest and surrender of Badru Abdul Aziz, his alleged co-conspirator.
The court heard that Aziz was arrested in June 2019 but was released on bond only for him to vanish.
And just like his accomplice, the DPP had said that Surur might disappear just like Aziz who went off the radar after learning that the long hand of law had finally caught up with Surur.
