)
)
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has secured extradition orders against an Afghan national wanted in the United States to face serious charges related to narcotics trafficking and weapons possession.
Senior Principal Magistrate Benmark Ekhubi on Tuesday authorised the extradition of Abdul Zahir Qadeer, also known as Haji Abdul Zahir, following a request from the U.S.
Abdul Zahir is a former Deputy Speaker of Afghanistan’s Parliament.
The extradition is based on a warrant issued by the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.
)
)
)
)
Principal Prosecution Counsel Victor Owiti, representing the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, convinced the court that the charges, narcotics importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess such weapons, were extraditable offences under both Kenyan and U.S. law.
Owiti further assured the court that Qadeer would have a fair opportunity to defend himself before a U.S. court, stressing that due process would be observed.
The fugitive was apprehended at the Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi. At the time of his arrest, both a Red Notice issued by Interpol on April 14, 2025, and the U.S. District Court's international warrant of arrest were in force.
Qadeer is now set to be surrendered to the United States, where he will face prosecution on multiple charges, including involvement in international narcotics trafficking and illegal weapons possession.
This case marks a significant milestone in Kenya’s cooperation with international law enforcement partners in the global fight against organised crime.
Recent extraditions to the U.S.
In recent years, Kenya has cooperated closely with the United States on several high-profile extradition cases involving serious crimes such as wildlife trafficking, narcoterrorism, and murder. Here are some notable examples:
Kevin Kangethe - Murder Suspect
In 2023, Kevin Kangethe was accused of murdering his girlfriend, Margaret Mbitu, in Massachusetts.
Her body was discovered in a car at Boston’s Logan International Airport. Kangethe fled to Kenya, where he was arrested after a three-month search.
While awaiting extradition, he escaped custody but was rearrested a week later. He was extradited to the U.S. in September 2024 to face first-degree murder charges.
)
Mansur Mohamed Surur – Wildlife Trafficking and Heroin Smuggling
In July 2020, Kenyan authorities arrested Mansur Mohamed Surur in Mombasa. He was extradited to the U.S. in January 2021 on charges related to trafficking in rhinoceros horns, elephant ivory, and heroin.
Surur was part of an international criminal enterprise responsible for the illegal poaching of over 35 rhinoceroses and more than 100 elephants. He was sentenced to a prison term of 54 months
Abdi Hussein Ahmed – Wildlife Trafficking Fugitive
Abdi Hussein Ahmed, a Kenyan national, was arrested in August 2022 in Maua, Kenya, after a tip-off.
The U.S. had offered a $1 million reward for information leading to his capture.
Ahmed was part of a transnational criminal enterprise involved in the large-scale trafficking of rhinoceros horns and elephant ivory. He was sentenced to 48 months.