By Michelle Ndaga
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has secured the extradition of an Ivorian national wanted in the United States over a firearms smuggling conspiracy.
Bile Jean Philippe Assemian was handed over to U.S. authorities on Thursday following the conclusion of extradition proceedings in Nairobi. He had been indicted on May 28, 2025, by a Grand Jury sitting in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Eastern Division.
According to court records, Assemian and his accomplices conspired between October and November 2018 to purchase firearms in Ohio and Maryland with the intention of illegally exporting them to Côte d’Ivoire.
His arrest was prompted by an INTERPOL Red Notice issued at the request of the U.S. government, which listed him as a fugitive wanted for prosecution.
Kenya’s Central Authority, under the Office of the Attorney General and Department of Justice, formally received the U.S. extradition request on July 24, 2025.
Proceedings began in Nairobi the following day, culminating in extradition orders issued by the Nairobi Chief Magistrate’s Court on September 3, 2025.
The case was prosecuted by a team from the ODPP comprising Mr. Vincent Monda, Mr. Allen Mulama, Mr. Duncan Ondimu, Ms. Magdalene Nduati, and Ms. Fatma Shaban.
The successful extradition highlights Kenya’s growing role in combating cross-border organized crime and its commitment to honoring international treaties.
The ODPP emphasized that cooperation with global partners remains central to efforts against transnational crimes such as arms trafficking, terrorism, and money laundering.
