This archive report was first published on 5 July 2020.
On June 24, 2020, a magistrate at Shanzu Law Courts reported that a crucial file in a Ksh2 million drug-haul case had gone missing. The file was supposed to be in the magistrate's chamber, but it was nowhere to be found.
According to Josephat Kisingu, the Kisauni Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) boss, the missing file was a key piece of evidence in the case against Rosemary Kavinya, who was charged with being in possession of cocaine valued at Ksh2,017,200.
Initial investigations revealed that the file had been locked away in the magistrate's chamber, but the only person who had access to it was the court clerk, James Makumi. Makumi was arrested, along with David Kiatu, the in-charge of the courts archives.
A third suspect, Mark Otieno, was also arrested on suspicion of giving Ksh500,000 to Makumi to facilitate the disappearance of the file.
“Detectives are following crucial leads that will bring to book other suspects who are alleged to have handed over Ksh500,000 to the third suspect to facilitate the disappearance of the file,” Kisingu said.
