Kenyan authorities on Friday destroyed about 1,2 tonnes of cocaine seized in 2004, a record haul that had become the subject of corruption and evidence-tampering allegations.
The drugs were incinerated at a medical research facility in Nairobi under tight security following a March 21 court order issued on the request of the director of public prosecution Keraiko Tobiko.
The destruction, which was scheduled for last Friday was, however, delayed as verification experts from the United States, Britain and the United Nations had not arrived in time.
”I confirm that the content of these boxes is cocaine,” said Jane Okado, a government chemist, before it was destroyed.
”We can confirm that the seals are intact and they are as we left them,” said Gordon Adam, a drugs inspector from Britian.
Tobiko argued that the destruction of the cocaine worth $83,3-million and which was under 24-hour police surveillance for the last 16 months would reduce the burden it placed on the security officials.
”Having a stockpile of 1,2 tonnes of cocaine by all measure is a threat,” Tobiko told reporters.
In January, the government invited the UN drug agency to verify and oversee the destruction of the cocaine.
”We are very happy that the seizure has finally been destroyed and the whole verification process has been an excellent example of international cooperation,” said Carstel Hyttel, head of the UN drug agency in Nairobi.
In addition to fuelling fears that Kenya has become a major hub for the international narcotics trade, the seizure has also been dogged by controversy.
First, it took a court order for the police to break their silence over where the cocaine was being held. Then, last year, a parliamentary committee on national security claimed that some of the evidence had been removed and replaced with a white powder that was not cocaine.
The chairperson of the committee alleged a massive cover-up was under way to protect corrupt government officials, but never produced any evidence.
The cocaine was seized in two raids on December 14 2004.
In the first raid in Nairobi, the drugs were found disguised as bitumen blast, a roofing material, packed in two shipping containers ready for transportation to the port of Mombasa and eventual export, police said.
The second raid took place in the coastal town of Malindi, they said.
But police commissioner Hussein Ali Mohamed sought to dispel allegations that the drugs might have been tampered with.
”On several occasions I did promise that the drugs were still intact and today’s [Friday] exercise and the testing that has been going on in the last week indicates that position,” Mohamed said.
Six people, including an Italian couple, accused of drug trafficking are still on trial and were present during Friday’s destruction. — Sapa-AFP