The Ministry of Interior, under Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i, acted swiftly and dismissed reports that flamboyant lawyer, Cliff Ombeta, was under the radar of Interpol, which wanted him extradited in relation to the Akasha brothers' drug cases.
On Monday, January 13, a letter surfaced, alleging that Ombeta, who defended Ibrahim Akasha and Baktash Akasha in Kenya, was wanted alongside three judges for aiding the their drug entreprise.
The fake letter, addressed to Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) boss George Kinoti, lauded the top cop for successfully extraditing Ibrahim and Baktash, in a process which saw the two jailed in the US for 23 years and 25 years respectively.
"By request of the Southern District of New York and the US Department of Justice, we hereby request your assistance in conducting the extradition of Judge Dora Chepkwony, Judge Enock Chacha Mwita, Judge Aggrey Muchelule and lawyer Cliff Ombetta to stand trial for illegal manufacture and distribution of narcotics with intention to illegally introduce heroin in the US," the letter claimed.
The Ministry of Interior, however, declared that the letter was fake.
"Kindly disregard this letter circulating on social media purporting to be from Interpol," the ministry tweeted.
Cliff Ombeta took to social media to defend himself, arguing that the letter, if it true, would have followed a certain legal procedure.
"First of all the grammar is incorrect and the process used is not the right one. The request must be made by the US and it must be directed to the requested country.
"Interpol has nothing to do with extradition proceedings and there must be a trial in the US to such a case (Ombeta doesn't have a case in the US)," the lawyer defended.
On Saturday, January 11, he lashed out at the US and accused them of forcing the Akasha's into a confession, after the duo were jailed.
"They have taken away their youthful days. This is after they informed them that they would give them a lesser sentence if they confessed. Do you think the Akasha's are the kind of people to open their mouth and agree to something so incriminating?
"Funny enough, their case dragged on for longer in the US than in Kenya. They came up with reports that the brothers bribed magistrates but could not prove who was bribed or where the incidents happened. For me, justice was not served," Ombeta informed Kenyans.co.ke.
