Kenya:Nairobi High Court Denies Bail to Lebanese National Facing Extradition to U.S. on Narcoterrorism Charges

By Samuel Ouma

The High Court in Nairobi has denied bail to Lebanese national Antoine Kassiss, who is set to be extradited to the United States to face serious charges of narcoterrorism and money laundering.

In a ruling delivered on Monday, Hon. Justice Alexander Muteti dismissed Kassiss’s application to be released on bond, stating that there were no sufficient grounds to warrant his release pending extradition.

The court upheld an earlier ruling by Hon. Magistrate Benmark Ekhubi of the Milimani Law Courts, which had granted the Kenyan government’s application to extradite the suspect.

Kassiss, who was apprehended in Nairobi under a warrant issued by a U.S. court, is wanted in the United States on charges of conspiracy to commit narcoterrorism and money laundering. His arrest and extradition process followed an official request from the United States government.

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) strongly opposed Kassiss’s request for bail, citing the gravity of the charges and the risk of flight.

Magistrate Ekhubi had earlier ruled that the extradition request met all legal thresholds under Kenya’s Extradition (Contiguous and Foreign Countries) Act. Despite consenting to his repatriation during initial proceedings, Kassiss later moved to the High Court seeking temporary release on bond.

Justice Muteti, however, maintained that the extradition process must proceed without delay, effectively sealing Kassiss’s fate.

The DPP has confirmed that Kassiss will be extradited to the United States on May 21, 2025, to face prosecution on the pending charges.