Afghan politician Abdul Haji Zahir will now be extradited to the United States of America to criminal charges.
This is after a Nairobi court approved Zahir’s extradition to the US where he is wanted for drug trafficking and illegal possession of firearms.
Senior Principal Magistrate Ben Mark Ekhubi allowed the extradition application by the Director of Public Prosecutions on grounds that there was sufficient and credible material establishing a link between Zahir and the alleged offenses.
The magistrate ruled that there was demonstrable communication between the respondent (Zahir) and a confidential source (CS-1) working under the direction of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), including recorded communications and, significantly, the seizure of narcotics.
“I have observed that the evidence outlined in detail how the negotiations unfolded, including a step by step account of the process, payments totaling $14,000, requisition, procurement, and the eventual seizure of two kilograms of methamphetamine,” SPM Ekhubi ruled.
In response, Zahir, a law graduate from the University of Pakistan, told the court that the extradition request should be denied due to a lack of sufficient and credible evidence, as required under Section 10 of the Extradition (Contiguous and Foreign Countries) Act.
“Mere allegations, without solid evidentiary support, should not be grounds for depriving a person of their liberty or subjecting them to removal from Kenya,” he added.
It was his submission that he he is a law abiding citizen and currently leads several civil, academic and political organizations in Afghanistan.
The court heard that he was elected to the National Assembly and rose to the position of First Deputy Speaker where he was an outspoken critic of the U.S interference in Afghanistan.
Zahir added that his father, Abdul Qadir was a senior government official and was assassinated for political reasons.
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York indicted Zahir on March 25, 2025, following a criminal complaint filed by the DEA.
The court issued an international arrest warrant while Interpol subsequently issued a Red Notice on 14th April 2025.
