Kenyan court approves US extradition of former Afghan deputy speaker

A Kenyan court on Tuesday approved the extradition of Abdul Zahir Qadir, a former deputy speaker of the Afghan parliament, to the US where he is wanted on drug and firearms-related charges.

The court in the capital, Nairobi, found sufficient grounds for extradition after US authorities submitted documentation detailing alleged cross-border criminal activity, including large-scale narcotics trafficking and illegal arms distribution.

In his ruling, Magistrate BenMark Ekhubi said the prosecution had presented compelling evidence justifying Qadir’s extradition under Kenya’s obligations to international law enforcement cooperation.

Qadir has denied the charges and is expected to challenge the decision.

‘Politically motivated’

During the hearings, his legal team argued the extradition would violate his rights and called the evidence politically motivated.

However, the magistrate dismissed those objections and ruled that Qadir should be handed over, pending any further legal proceedings.

Qadir was arrested at a hotel in in Nairobi in April, shortly after arriving in Kenya, following a request from the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), acting on an international warrant issued by a New York court.

Kenyan officials have said the case shows the East African nation’s role in enforcing international justice cooperation agreements.

Qadir served in the Afghan parliament until 2021, the same year a resurgent Taliban took over the country.