By Michelle Ndaga
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has secured a major win in the fight against drug trafficking after a Nigerian national was convicted in a high-profile narcotics case at the Kahawa Law Courts.
On September 23, 2025, Okwudili Cletus Onuh pleaded guilty to multiple counts of drug trafficking under Section 4(a)(ii) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act.
His plea change came after the prosecution presented overwhelming evidence linking him to the illicit trade, prompting him to take responsibility for the charges.
Senior Principal Magistrate Hon. Richard Koech sentenced Onuh to pay a fine of Kshs. 46.5 million for counts 1, 3 and 4. In default, he will serve 20 years’ imprisonment on each count, with the sentences running concurrently.
The court also factored in the three years he had already spent in remand while awaiting trial.
The sentencing followed extensive submissions from both the prosecution and the defence. Principal Prosecution Counsel James Machirah, assisted by Prosecution Counsel Gedion Kiprono, led the case on behalf of the ODPP.
The conviction was hailed as a strong statement on Kenya’s resolve to dismantle narcotics networks that pose a threat to national security and public health.
Meanwhile, the case against the second accused person, Hamid Annet Njoki Kaur, remains active. The hearing is set to proceed on September 29, 2025, with prosecutors expected to continue presenting evidence in the multi-million-shilling case.
The conviction underscores the government’s ongoing crackdown on international and local drug trafficking syndicates and signals the judiciary’s readiness to impose heavy penalties on offenders fueling Kenya’s narcotics trade.
