Three foreign nationals have been presented to Kibera Chief Magistrate’s Court charged with the unauthorized possession and illegal dealing in emeralds estimated to be worth close to Sh19 million.
The suspects, identified as Milton Ivan Espana Diaz from the United States, Luis Carlos Garcia Ayala from Colombia, and Manuel De Jesus Arevalo Rodriguez from Mexico, were arrested on June 30 2026 by members of the Anti, Illegal Mining and Smuggling Investigations (AIMSI) unit.
Investigators said that the three suspects had 74 grams of raw emeralds in their possession. Further engagements with them revealed that they had no documentation proving the legality of the minerals’ origin and, in addition, weren’t in possession of a mineral dealer’s or a trading licence issued by the State Department for Mining.
The three were arraigned before the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Kibera where they faced two charges: dealing in minerals without a valid dealer’s licence and unauthorized possession of precious minerals.
They pleaded not guilty to both charges.
Each accused was freed on a bond of Sh500, 000 with one surety of the same amount or alternatively, a cash bail of Sh200, 000 each was fixed. They were also asked to produce one contact person while their passports remained in court as were the case investigations.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) stated that the prosecution of the suspects makes up a proof of their continued commitment in the fight against illegal mining and mineral smuggling, while at the same time issuing a warning that persons found to be exploiting Kenya’s mineral resources without adhering to the country’s legal and regulatory system will face the full force of the law.
As part of a broader strategy to safeguard Kenya’s natural resources and also to ensure that the mining industry engages only in activities legally licensed and regulated, the government has intensified operations against illegal mineral trading.