A Nairobi court has allowed the Director of Public Prosecutions to detain a Ugandan woman named Hellen Ikareut, who was extradited to Kenya to face drug trafficking charges.
Ikareut is accused of being behind a drug shipment that was intercepted at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport cargo section in May last year.
According to court records, the shipment, which was allegedly sent from Kitengela, contained 25 shower curtains that were used to hide a green plant-like material. After testing, the material was confirmed to be a narcotic drug.
The parcel was reportedly headed to Bahrain and addressed to a man named Chris Kagawa Manana Godaibiya.Following the discovery, police attempted to contact Ikareut, but she had already left for Uganda. When she failed to respond to summons, Kenya made a formal request to Uganda for her extradition.
The Ugandan court approved the request on April 15, and she was arrested the next day. The extradition was made possible with help from Interpol.
On Tuesday, Principal Magistrate Irene Gichobi of the JKIA law courts granted the DPP’s request to detain Ikareut further so that investigations can be completed.
She will be held at Embakasi Police Station for three days. During this period, a government chemist will weigh and analyze the suspected drugs, and key witnesses will record their statements.
Before her extradition, Ikareut had opposed the move. According to the Ugandan newspaper Daily Monitor, she filed an affidavit in May claiming that Kenya’s request was not properly done and was made in bad faith.
She also said she feared her rights would not be respected in Kenya, citing problems within the country’s justice system. However, the Ugandan court rejected her argument, saying that the offence she is accused of is criminal, not political.
The matter is expected to be mentioned in court again on August 11 for further directions. For now, investigations will continue as authorities gather more evidence against her.
The case highlights how drug trafficking networks are being tracked across borders and how international cooperation, like through Interpol, plays a key role in handling such matters.
