NAIROBI — A Kenyan court on Tuesday ordered the extradition of former Afghan Deputy Parliament Speaker Abdul Zahir Qadir to the United States, where he faces federal charges of narcotics trafficking and illegal possession of military-grade firearms.
Delivering the ruling, Magistrate BenMark Ekhubi endorsed the extradition request made by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), stating that the legal threshold had been met. The application was based on a formal request by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
“In my view, the threshold has been met by the applicant. I find the application to be merited, and I hereby endorse the warrants of arrest,” Ekhubi ruled. “I consequently direct that the accused person be surrendered and extradited to the United States to face the subject charges.”
Qadir, who arrived in Nairobi on April 14 aboard a Qatar Airways flight, was arrested at a local hotel in an operation coordinated between Kenyan police and the DEA. Authorities cited the absence of a fixed residence and his potential to flee as reasons for his immediate detention.
The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York had issued a warrant for Qadir’s arrest on March 25, alleging conspiracy to import controlled substances into the U.S. and unlawful possession of a machine gun. DEA special agent Nicholas DiFrancesco confirmed that Qadir is believed to be a key figure in a global narcotics network.
Court filings presented by Kenyan prosecutors also disclosed concerns raised by the U.S. over the risk of Qadir fleeing to a jurisdiction lacking an extradition treaty, potentially hindering the prosecution of remaining suspects.
Qadir had previously been reported missing by family members, who claimed he had been detained in Dubai. Kenyan authorities flatly denied those claims, confirming that he has been in their custody since April 14 and remains detained following the court’s ruling.
On April 15, Kenya’s judiciary granted a request by the Attorney General to hold Qadir pending the outcome of the extradition hearing, citing the importance of preserving the integrity of the investigation and safeguarding the international prosecution effort.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) affirmed that Qadir would remain in detention until arrangements for his handover to U.S. authorities are finalized.
The case marks a rare high-profile extradition involving a former Afghan political figure and underscores intensifying international cooperation in dismantling global drug trafficking operations.
