Kenyan Narco Baktash
Akasha Abdalla Got 25 Years
now Pakistani Hafeez Has
Glasses in MDC
By Matthew
Russell Lee, Patreon
SDNY COURTHOUSE,
May 26 – Kenya drug trafficker Baktash
Akasha Abdalla
faced a
life sentence
including for
the use of
machine guns,
but got 25
years in jail
on August 16,
2019 from U.S. District
Court for the
Southern
District of
New York Judge
Victor
Marrero.
Judge
Marrero
emphasized
that the US Drug
Enforcement
Agency had played
an entrapping
or suggesting role. He
likened it
to attempted
murder, and
contrasted it
to a Bronx
gang leader to
be sentenced
later in the
day who really
killed
someone, but
faces a guideline
sentence of 27
years. Citing
the need to
avoid
unwarranted
sentencing
disparities he
imposed 25
years and a
fine of
$100,000. More
on Patreon,
here.
Back on
July 26, 2019
murder
in Amsterdam
and the
possibility of
execution in
India all came
up in an ill-attended
Fatico hearing
before
Judge Marrero,
including
questions about
the
credibility of
government witness Mr.
Vicky Goswami,
whom the
government
describes as
"the Akashas'
trusted
co-conspirator [who]
after he was
released from
a long prison
sentence in
Dubai
moved to Kenya
and worked in
partnership
with Baktash,
Ibrahmi and others on
their drugs
and violence."
Baktash's
lawyer George
Robert Goltzer
on July
26 mocked the
government's
reliance on Goswami, pointing
at inconsistencies
in the 3500
material
turned over.
But
Judge Marrero,
after praising
Golzer and Ibrahim
Akasha Abdalla's
lawyer Dawn
Cardi for their
professional
presentation,
took the government's
side. He said
that multi-day
proffers like
Goswami's can
result in
seeming
inconsistencies. But he
found no
inconsistency
on the issues
before him: the
murder of
"Pinky" and Ibrahim's
use of a firearm.
Jump cut to
May 26, 2023,
when co-defendant extradited in
from the UK
appealed:
"Minute Entry
for
proceedings
held before
Judge Victor
Marrero:
Pretrial
Conference as
to Muhammad
Asif Hafeez
held on
5/26/2023. The
Court
scheduled an
initial
appearance in
this matter.
AUSA Michael
Lockard
present on
behalf of the
Government.
Defense
counsel
Anthony
Cecutti,
Kestine Thiele
present with
Defendant.
Urdu
interpreter
and court
reporter
present. The
Court gave an
oral Rule 5(f)
order and
advised the
Government of
its
obligations
under Brady v.
Maryland, and
the Government
confirmed it
understands
those
obligations.
The Government
indicated that
it would
produce
discovery
within two
weeks, and
defense
counsel would
need 90 days
to review
discovery.The
Court also
addressed
defense
counsel's
letter emailed
to the Court
on May 26,
2023. The
Court directed
the Government
to provide a
status update
within one
week,
reporting on
the issues
that defense
counsel raised
in his letter
on behalf of
Defendant. The
Court
scheduled a
status
conference for
August 18,
2023 at 1:30
p.m. "
Afterwards,
Hafeez got
reading
glasses.
The
case is USA
v. Abdalla,
et al.,
14-cr-00716
(Marrero).
***
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