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Citizen Weekly

Sunday 8 March 2015

Arrests split Akasha family as domestic feuds persist

As two sons of the late drugs baron Ibrahim Akasha fight the Director of Public Prosecution request to deny them bail which their lawyers Samuel Oguk, Cliff Ombeta, Kirathe Wandugi and Wamuti Ndegwa described as “a waste of the court’s time”, within the family, the protracted court battle is said to have split it down the middle.
Sources say some members of the Akasha family are celebrating that the two were arrested and that they should face full force of the law and be extradited to America. This is how far the rivalry in the Akasha family has gone to the extent that a section of those enjoying their freedom do not wish to see the two brothers languishing in jail.
Baktash Akasha, Ibrahim Akasha, Vijaygiri Anandgiri and Gulam Hussein are wanted in America by a US court to face drugs trafficking charges. The bone of contention is that the suspects had been released on bail since December 1 2014 and have been in custody for three months now because of the obstruction brought their way by the prosecution.
As their lawyers continue to pursue their release on bail, other family members now say that the case of disputed property ownership should also be handled with speed to have the late Akasha’s properties shared among his family. Word has it that if the two suspects are released on bond, using their connections, they will influence the distribution of wealth in favour of their close family members.
But even as the Akashas continue to languish in jail, Mombasa tycoons and those in the capital city of Nairobi with links to the Ibrahim Akasha family including government officials, among them police officers based at Bamburi, Nyali and Parklands Police Stations are in a panicky mood.
But what has caused more panic within the Akasha family is the US government request to have the suspects to be tried in America over international drugs trafficking. The move is said to be supported by family forces fighting the duo. To them, if taken to America, they will be at peace since Baktash had been harassing them in open using friendly police officers on his payroll before his arrest. What is now emerging is that the US is not only interested in the four suspects but could go for other top government officials and politicians suspected to have been involved in drugs trafficking.
Fear has gripped a number of Kenyans who have been mentioned in previous reports over alleged drugs trafficking. US and other developed countries have always complained that the Kenya government has been reluctant in dealing with the menace.
The family of the slain drug baron Akasha years since his death has been caught in a bitter war of how to share the billions of shillings left behind by the don.
There are claims that the family members have been threatening each other. The rivalry between the sibling has continued to play out for years.
Family members have recorded a statement with the police for allegedly threatening to kill each other.
One of the Akasha’s wives, Fatma Akasha has openly claimed that her life and that of her family members was in danger.
Fatma, who is the third wife of the slain man, said she and her immediate family had been receiving death threats from a member of the extended family.
Reports indicate that the Akasha Empire includes gold and copper mines in Zambia and South Sudan as well as extensive investments in real estate and transport in Kenya, Sudan and Lebanon. He also has a business empire in Dubai.
Ibrahim Akasha Abdalla was shot dead in the Red Light District streets of Amsterdam in 2000. Baktash now in remand was Akasha’s favourite son. Immediately he took control of the family, he engaged his half brother Kamaldin in the battle of running the empire. Kamaldin, was shot dead at a petrol station in Makupa, Mombasa.
Akasha had three wives, the first Karima, with children Habab, Kamaldin and Hassan. Habab was to find himself in custody in foreign land. He was jailed for 10 years in Tanzania. His crime was that he was found in possession of mandrax in 1997. He later bought his freedom and maintains a low profile. If Baktash is taken to America, it is said Habab will be the man to watch. He is from the first wife.
 Akasha’s second wife is Hayat whose children have always been at war with Baktash. His children are Najma Bazuna, the notorious Nurdin Nurdin alias Tinta, Durzia, Feisal and Abdalla. Baktash’s mother Fatuma is Akasha’s third wife. Her other children are Warda and Ibrahim. She has always accused Tinta of baying for her blood. Word has it that the second family has been celebrating Baktash’s tribulations. His mother is said to be depressed bearing in mind her other son Ibrahim is also facing possible extradition to the US.
For now, with the two out of circulation, eyes are on Tinta to manage and call shots. Baktash has a controversial life. He is accused of murdering his wife Suad Akasha. Within the family, it is said, it is his late wife’s blood and spirit that is haunting him.
 The Akasha family has for years been in the news on negative side. When Kamaldin was shot dead under mysterious circumstances, the blame was on one of his step-brothers. In 2010, Saud Akasha, 33, was found dead in her house after differing with his husband and mother-in-law. Queries were raised as to why after her body was found hanging, she was hurriedly buried with no postmortem being done. It was said she had committed suicide.
Another member of the family, Hassan Yusuf Abdalla, was linked to the stealing of a car belonging to former president Daniel Moi.
 Abdalla allegedly sold the car to then Local Government minister Fred Gumo. He is a brother of Tinta.Tinta and his brothers are mostly in Nairobi and are known to harass motorists and perceived business rivals with police officers on their payroll.
For now, with president Uhuru Kenyatta and his new security men in charge led by intelligence boss Philip Kameru, CID in-charge Ndegwa Muhoro, it is not business as usual for the Akasha family as a special unit including foreign spies has been formed to monitor their movements. Police officers who at one time offered protection and leaked information have been transferred and are marked men. Before Baktash’s arrest, officers from anti-narcotics had been moved to new stations. 

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