INFAMOUS DRUG LORD SENTENCED TO 25 YEARS BEHIND BARS
In conclusion to a lengthy legal saga, Joyce Akinyi Ochieng, a notorious drug trafficker, has been sentenced to a formidable 25 years in prison. The Chief Magistrate’s Court at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport delivered this verdict in response to her involvement in a heroin trafficking operation valued at approximately Sh5.6 million.
The case began on July 13, 2019, when Anti-Narcotics Officers from DCI Headquarters acted on a tip-off and conducted a raid at the Deep West Resort in Lang’ata, Nairobi County. There, they discovered a significant cache of heroin concealed within a shoe rack, alongside a weighing scale and other incriminating items found in one of Joyce Akinyi's rented rooms. Two accomplices, Paulin Musankishay Kalala and Peres Anyango Omondi, were arrested alongside her.
Under the provisions of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Control Act, the recovered drugs were weighed and analyzed. The total heroin seized amounted to 1882.86 grams, with a street value of Sh5,648,580.
On August 8, 2019, the three suspects were brought to court for their pleas. Joyce Akinyi and Peres Anyango Omondi pleaded not guilty and were granted bond, while Paulin Musankishay Kalala was denied bail and remanded at Industrial Area GK prison.
In a significant development in 2020, the High Court ordered Joyce Akinyi to surrender two luxury vehicles worth Sh20 million to the state, deeming them proceeds of crime as part of the ongoing investigation.
Throughout a protracted five-year trial, the prosecution presented compelling evidence from twelve witnesses, establishing a direct link between the defendants and a complex network of transnational drug trafficking. Peres Anyango Omondi absconded before the trial's conclusion, leaving the proceedings to continue in her absence.
The case culminated in a sentencing delivered by Honorable Njeri Thuku in Court No. 1 at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. In the first charge, Joyce Akinyi was convicted of narcotics trafficking, resulting in a 25-year prison sentence and a hefty fine of Sh9,018,000. Paulin Musankishay Kalala received a 10-year sentence along with a similar financial penalty.
Meanwhile, Peres Anyango Omondi, whose whereabouts remain unknown, was likewise sentenced to 25 years for her role in the trafficking operation. A warrant for her arrest has been issued, with her sentence to be served upon capture.
This landmark ruling marks a significant victory in the ongoing fight against drug trafficking and a stark reminder of the severe consequences of engaging in such criminal enterprises.
