This archive report was first published on 7 December 2019.
On December 5, 2019, US District Judge Victor Marrero ordered the postponement of Ibrahim Akasha's sentencing, which was initially scheduled for December 6, 2019. This decision came after Ibrahim, a 30-year-old Kenyan citizen, expressed his confusion and bewilderment in a note to Judge Marrero.
According to court documents, Ibrahim has been held in detention facilities in New York since January 29, 2017, without receiving a single social visit. His defence attorney, Dawn Cardi, stated that Ibrahim's isolation may have contributed to his confusion.
The postponement of Ibrahim's sentencing is the latest development in a case that has been ongoing for several years. His older brother, Baktash, was handed a 25-year sentence in August 2019. Ibrahim's sentencing could range from 10 years to life in prison.
On November 8, 2019, Judge Marrero stated that errors by another judge could invalidate the guilty pleas made by the Akasha brothers in 2018. This statement has caused Ibrahim to question his legal situation and seek clarification from his attorney.
However, prosecutors and defence attorneys have agreed that the errors should not invalidate the Akasha brothers' guilty pleas. In a recent letter to Judge Marrero, senior US prosecutor Geoffrey Berman stated that Ibrahim should be given the opportunity to indicate whether he wishes to maintain his plea at the rescheduled sentencing hearing.
Ms Cardi has recently spoken to Ibrahim and believes his concerns have been allayed. She expects Ibrahim's sentencing to take place on January 10, 2020, unless something else arises.
