A court in Nairobi has approved the extradition of former Afghan deputy parliamentary speaker Abdul Zahir Qadir to the United States, where he faces charges related to narcotics trafficking and illegal firearms distribution.
Magistrate BenMark Ekhubi ruled on Tuesday that the U.S. had provided sufficient evidence to justify Qadir’s extradition under Kenya’s commitments to international law enforcement agreements. The decision follows a formal request from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which issued an international arrest warrant through a New York court.
Qadir was arrested in April at a Nairobi hotel shortly after entering the country. U.S. authorities allege that he was involved in large-scale cross-border criminal operations involving drugs and arms.
Qadir has denied all allegations and is expected to appeal the ruling. His legal team argued that the charges were politically motivated and that extradition would violate his legal rights—claims the magistrate rejected as unsubstantiated.
Kenyan officials said the case underscores the country’s commitment to upholding international justice and cooperation in combating transnational crime.
Qadir served in the Afghan parliament until 2021, the year the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan.