November 26, 2024

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Meet a Kenyan politician who was detained in Burundi over Drug Trafficking Allegations

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Kenyan politician Joseph Mboya Nyamuthe has escaped from police custody in Burundi.

Mboya, the son of former Moi-era Permanent Secretary Hezekiah Oyugi, was arrested by Burundian authorities over drug trafficking allegations. Ishami TV reports that Mboya fled after being taken to Rumonge Hospital for treatment on Friday night.

Police in Burundi say the businessman was rushed to the health facility accompanied by the deputy head of the Murembwe Prison Hospital Adeline Ndayisenga after developing cholera-like symptoms. It is suspected that Mboya’s escape was facilitated by FDD rebels, who have been fighting the Burundian government.

Mboya moved to Burundi in 2019 and set up a pharmaceutical company that was officially launched by then President Pierre Nkurunziza.

He was arrested in April this year after his company was accused of importing and exporting illegal drugs. This followed the arrest of a Turkish national in Bujumbura in March ferrying narcotics. Mboya was apprehended alongside some top government officials in connection with narcotics trade in the landlocked country.

His company is alleged to have been used to ship drugs to Burundi through Somalia in the guise of ferrying medicine to Burundi forces on peacekeeping missions.

Mboya had expressed interest in running for the Rwangwe parliamentary seat in the next year’s elections.