3 Kenya Airways Staff Jailed For 25 Years
The convictions, handed down by the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) Court, mark a major victory in the fight against narcotics in Kenya.
Marvin Chege 
In a landmark ruling, three Kenya Airways employees were each sentenced to 25 years behind bars after being convicted of trafficking heroin worth over Ksh 60 million.
The convictions, handed down by the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) Court, mark a major victory in the fight against narcotics in Kenya.
According to a statement by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) released on Saturday, November 22, the sentenced include Lennox Chengek Chestit, a cabin crew member; Kenneth Sinzore Isundu, a ground staffer; and Alfric Odhiambo Otieno, also a cabin crew member.
Image of a court gavel. /VIRAL TEA KE
Each was additionally ordered to pay fines ranging from Ksh 88 million to Ksh 90 million, with a default penalty of an extra year in prison.
The convictions arose from two counts of heroin trafficking. Chestit and Isundu were found guilty of moving 9,845.70 grams of heroin valued at Ksh 29.5 million, while Otieno and Isundu were convicted of trafficking 20 kilograms of heroin worth KSh 60 million. Magistrate Njeri Thuku ordered Isundu’s sentences to run concurrently.
“All three asked the court for a non-custodial sentence, but the court is bound by the Community Service Orders Act. Drug trafficking offences do not fit the parameters for non-custodial sentencing,” Magistrate Thuku said, dismissing their requests.
She also highlighted the reputational damage caused by the convicts’ actions. “To see employees of Kenya Airways themselves involved in drug trafficking is more damaging than any of them possibly imagined,” Thuku noted.
DPP Renson Ingonga praised the ruling as a strong statement against narcotics networks operating even within national institutions.
“This verdict sends a clear message that no individual or institution is beyond the reach of the law,” Ingonga said. He commended the prosecution team—Norah Otieno, Kennedy Panyako, and Rono Paula—for their dedication during the eight-year trial.
“The ODPP will continue to work tirelessly to protect Kenya’s borders, safeguard public institutions, and ensure that those who undermine national security face the full force of justice,” Ingonga added.
At the time of their arrest, Chestit was 26, Otieno 27, and Isundu 45. The case, spanning nearly a decade, is being hailed as a historic step in curbing narcotics trafficking through Kenya’s international airports.
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