Two men accused of being in possession of rhino horns worth Sh3 million have been linked to drug trade and terrorism.
The two, Ali Omar Haji and Said Alfani Mwinyi, were on Monday before the Mombasa Court linked in financing terrorism and dealing in narcotics.
State Prosecutor Jami Yamina told the court that information retrieved from the accused’s mobile phones shows that the two had been financing terrorism and dealing in narcotics.
“The intelligence we have received from detectives who extracted information from the accused’s phones indicated that the respondents are connected to the narcotic trade and financing of terrorism,” said Yamina.
The two accused persons have denied being found with rhino horns weighing 1.406 kilogrammes on 27 December last year when they were arrested on Mama Ngina Drive in Mombasa County.
They applied to be released on bail but the prosecution opposed the application, saying investigations were on course and the suspects are a flight risk and may cause danger to the public.
Prosecutor Yamina further said that the new information needs to be analyse by the Anti-Narcotics Unit and Anti-Terrorism Police Unit.
Mombasa Principal Magistrate Diana Mochache ordered the prosecution to file the affidavit during the next case hearing and the accused to be detained.
The case will be heard on January 14.