Three foreign nationals have been charged before the Kibera Chief Magistrate’s Court over the alleged unauthorised possession of emeralds valued at approximately KSh19 million.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the suspects were arrested by detectives from the Anti-Illegal Mining and Smuggling Investigations (AIMSI) unit on June 30, 2026.
The accused were identified as Milton Ivan Espana Diaz from the United States, Luis Carlos Garcia Ayala from Colombia, and Manuel De Jesus Arevalo Rodriguez from Mexico.
3 foreign nationals charged over KSh19 million emerald haul. Photo: Courtesy.
The DCI said the three were found in possession of 74 grams of raw emeralds estimated to be worth KSh19 million.
Preliminary investigations established that the suspects did not possess documentation indicating the origin of the minerals.
Detectives also established that they lacked a valid mineral dealer’s or trading licence issued by the State Department for Mining.
The trio was arraigned before the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Kibera, where they faced two charges: dealing in minerals without a valid dealer’s licence and unauthorised possession of precious minerals.
They pleaded not guilty to both counts.
The court released each of the suspects on a bond of KSh500,000 with a surety of a similar amount or an alternative cash bail of KSh200,000.
They were also required to provide one contact person, while the court ordered that their passports be deposited pending the determination of the case.
The DCI said the prosecution is part of ongoing efforts to curb illegal mining and the illicit trade in Kenya’s mineral resources, warning that individuals found exploiting the country’s minerals outside the legal framework will face the full force of the law.
