Moments before one of the Akasha brothers, Baktash, was sentenced to serve 25 years inside US jails, he was given some five minutes to plead for a lesser jail term.
Part of his plea was, however, a heartfelt message directed to his family members, most of who reside in Kenya.
Speaking inside a court in New York, Baktash apologised for his life in crime acknowledging that some of his actions might have directly, or indirectly, caused pain on his family members.
He further regretted not spending enough happy moments with his kins.
“I am truly guilty of these crimes, and I stand ashamed... I only have myself to blame (and) I need to change who I am as a person," Baktash told the court.
He also showed remorse for, "the harm I have done not only to myself but to all those who love me. I have denied myself so many precious moments I should have had with my family," reported Daily Nation.
Baktash also blamed his wayward ways on the murder of his father explaining that it was then that he got sucked into the drug business.
“I truly wish I could turn back the clock knowing what I know now,” he added.
In his defence, his attorney, George Goltzer, explained that despite Baktash's choice of career, he had helped a countless number of people in the coastal city of Mombasa.
He singled out fishermen who, he explained, loved the convict and that he “helped them out” when they faced financial hardships.
“He was greedy. He made terrible choices, but you can't compare him to the kind of criminal who caused hundreds of thousands of overdoses in the US,” argued Goltzer.
