Three Kenya Airways employees will spend many years behind bars after a court found them guilty of taking part in a major drug trafficking operation.
The long sentences were issued after a detailed investigation showed the employees had played key roles in moving large amounts of heroin through Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Their actions shocked many people because they worked in positions that required high trust, especially in an airline that carries the country’s name and reputation around the world.
The case involved three individuals: Lennox Chengek Chestit, a cabin crew member; Kenneth Sinzore Isundu, a ground staff employee; and Alfric Odhiambo Otieno, also a cabin crew member.
The court ruled that they were responsible for transporting heroin worth more than Ksh60 million. Each of them received a 25-year prison sentence.
They were also ordered to pay heavy fines ranging between Ksh88 million and Ksh90 million. If they fail to pay these fines, they will serve an extra one-year prison term, running at the same time as the main sentence but still adding to the weight of the punishment.
Their convictions were linked to two different drug-trafficking incidents.
In the first case, Chestit and Isundu were found guilty of handling 9,845.70 grams of heroin worth more than Ksh29 million.
In the second case, Otieno and Isundu were convicted of moving 20 kilograms of heroin valued at Ksh60 million.
Because Isundu was involved in both offences, the court directed that his sentences run concurrently.
The magistrate also rejected the request from all three to receive non-custodial sentences, making it clear that drug offences fall under strict laws that do not allow such leniency.
The court added that their actions risked damaging the image of both Kenya Airways and the Kenya Airports Authority. The idea that employees trusted with passenger safety and airport operations were secretly involved in drug trafficking was deeply troubling to the court.
Leave feedback about this