A Mombasa court was Wednesday thrust into the spotlight as Turkish billionaire Elsek Osman and his business associate Gokmen Sandikci appeared before Resident Magistrate David Odhiambo in a case that has exposed the murky intersection of wealth, politics and international intrigue.
The two men, who have been in custody for 14 days pending investigations into alleged terrorism financing, stood in the dock as their legal team mounted a spirited defence against the prosecution’s application for further detention.
Osman, who fled to Kenya as a refugee after a bitter fallout with the Turkish government, now finds himself at the centre of a legal storm that his lawyers claim is motivated by greed rather than genuine security concerns.
Leading the defence, veteran Senior Counsel John Khaminwa pulled no punches in his submissions, alleging a sinister plot by powerful figures within the Kenyan government to have his client deported.
“There are people high up in government who want to deport Mr Osman so they can grab his properties valued at Sh6 billion,” Khaminwa told the court, his voice resonating with indignation.
“This is not about terrorism. This is about greed and the abuse of power.”
The accusations sent ripples through the packed courtroom, with spectators craning their necks to catch every word of the dramatic proceedings.
However, the prosecution maintained that the investigation was far from complete.
State counsel applied to have both respondents detained for an additional 14 days, arguing that crucial forensic evidence from laptops and mobile phone documents had yet to be extracted and analyzed by police investigators.
“The nature of this investigation requires meticulous examination of digital evidence,” the prosecution told Magistrate Odhiambo.
“We have several devices that contain potentially critical information, and forensic analysis takes time.”
The prosecution emphasized that the complexity of terrorism financing investigations, particularly those with international dimensions, necessitated thorough scrutiny of financial records and communication devices.
Osman’s journey to Kenya as a refugee has added layers of complexity to the case.
Having sought sanctuary in the country after his relationship with Ankara soured, the businessman has since accumulated substantial assets, including the contested Sh6 billion property portfolio that has now become a flashpoint in the legal battle.
His lawyers led by Senior Counsel John Khaminwa and cliff Combeta argued that their client’s refugee status should afford him protection rather than persecution, and that the terrorism allegations were a convenient pretext for unlawful expropriation of his wealth.
The defence team also questioned the timing and motivation behind the arrests, suggesting that if the authorities had genuine security concerns, they would have acted much earlier.
Magistrate Odhiambo listened intently to arguments from both sides before reserving his ruling on the application.
The court is expected to deliver its decision on whether to grant the additional detention period in the coming days.
The case has attracted significant attention not only because of the amounts of money involved but also due to the international dimensions of the matter, touching on refugee rights, diplomatic relations, and Kenya’s role in regional security cooperation.
As proceedings continue, questions linger about whether justice will be served or whether Osman’s considerable wealth will indeed make him a target rather than insulate him from prosecution.
Both Osman and Sandikci remain in custody as investigations continue, their fate hanging in the balance as Magistrate Odhiambo weighs the competing claims of national security and allegations of political persecution.
