AG 'GAVE OKAY' ON COCAINE SAMPLES

Nairobi - International experts who assisted in the destruction of
the Sh6.4 billion cocaine haul had permission from the
Attorney-General to carry away samples for further testing.

The Director of Public Prosecutions, Keriako Tobiko, explained
yesterday that the experts had met the AG who accepted their request
to take away the samples.

Tobiko said there was nothing wrong with the experts taking the
samples as the process had been cleared from initial stage.

"There is nothing wrong with the experts going with the samples
because they want to do further analysis," he said.

Tobiko also said the officials took only 42g and not 60g as earlier reported.

At the same time, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
(UNODC) has lauded the Government's move to destroy the 1.1 tonnes of
cocaine netted in the country.

UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa said the cocaine had a
street value of 100 million dollars (Sh7.2 billion) if it had reached
Europe or North America.

"The cocaine would have done incalculable damage to the people who
use it and if the gangs had managed to sell it, they would have spent
the proceeds on equally nasty criminal activities," said Costa in statement.

Meanwhile, former DPP Philip Murgor said he was happy over the
destruction of the haul. Murgor said Kenyans were the winners in the
destruction of the drugs.

"I am happy that the haul was found to be safe and it is Kenyans who
have won the war on drugs," he said, denying that he had said the
drugs had been substituted or sold.

Elsewhere, Cabinet minister Suleiman Shakombo yesterday accused some
officers at Likoni Police Station, Mombasa, of protecting drug barons.

Shakombo said the officers were on the payroll of drug barons who
distributed mandrax, heroin, cocaine and bhang.

The minister spoke yesterday as residents in Likoni reported the
whereabouts of the two drug kingpins, where they live, how they
operate and their networks.

The Sunday Standard consequently published the details given by
residents who said police took no action despite numerous reports.

Shakombo said his office had information that some of those who had
given information to the police about the drug traffickers had been
threatened and others kidnapped.

"It is clear that all information given to the police is leaked back
to the drug king pins," said Shakombo.

Likoni has recorded an upsurge in rapes, muggings and sodomy, a
situation Shakombo attributed to drug abuse.