Kabogo: I was not probed over drugs

By David Ochami and Cyrus OmbatiJuja MP William Kabogo baffled a parliamentary committee when he claimed police have not investigated him over drug trafficking.
He has also tabled names of people he said are suspects in the illegal narcotics trade and alleged a conspiracy to conceal real culprits.
Mr Kabogo claimed that allegations against him were engineered after, among other things, Charterhouse Bank where he was a depositor frustrated an effort by the US aid agency to infiltrate local banking institutions.
The Juja MP, who appeared yesterday before Parliament’s Administration of National Security Committee, further claimed that 1.1 tonnes of cocaine intercepted in December 2004 was not destroyed, as widely said to have occurred on April Fools Day 2006.
He said the drug menace could be a conspiracy against Muslim youth at the Kenyan Coast in the US-led global war on terrorism.
Blocked investigators

Members of Parliament’s Administration and National Security Committee Cyprian Awiti (left), Hussein Muhamed (centre) and Juja MP William Kabogo after he was grilled by the team over allegations of drug trafficking, at Continental House, Nairobi, Wednesday. [PHOTO: GOVEDI ASUSTA/STANDARD]

"If you burn a tonne of cocaine or heroin everyone in the vicinity of Kibera would be high after inhaling fumes for two to three days," he said. He was referring to the slum in the neighbourhood of the research station where the drug worth Sh16 billion was reportedly incinerated on April 1, 2006.
He claimed two Administration Police officers charged with guarding the cocaine haul died mysteriously. He added that the people who imported the drugs might never be known because security agencies are involved in the cover-up.
The MP alleged that the Government blocked investigators from The Netherlands from inspecting the house of an unnamed minister, apparently connected to the drugs haul.
Kabogo claimed "you can’t do drugs in this country without the involvement of the police".
He claimed that the "Intelligence know all those involved in drug trafficking". He proposed the establishment of an independent anti-narcotics agency.
Fabricated evidence
The MP accused US envoy Michael Ranneberger of waging vendetta against him through the drug trafficking dossier to justify the continued shut down of Charterhouse Bank where Kabogo is a shareholder.
The MP claimed Mr Ranneberger fabricated evidence of drug trafficking to justify the establishment of a local bureau of the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).
Meanwhile, officials from the DEA have arrived in the country to help investigate drug trafficking.
The four officials are working with the Anti-Narcotics Unit to unravel the faces behind the illegal trade.
Commissioner of Police Mathew Iteere said the American team is already working. "They are pursuing the issue. This is a complex matter that needs patience and time," he told The Standard. Mr Iteere said an ad hoc team of police produced an interim report on drug trafficking and investigation is ongoing.
Sources said the US and Kenyan teams plan to visit various places as part of their investigation, which may last several months.
Ranneberger said America is willing to assist Kenya unravel faces behind the narcotics trade and warned that the investigations are complex hence may take a long time.
"Drug investigations take a long time to be carried out. They are complex so they will be ongoing for quite some time," he said.