The naming in Kenya's Parliament of four MPs and a businessman suspected of dealing in narcotic drugs compromised police investigations, says a report by the team assigned to probe the matter.

The report found no evidence linking the five and some other prominent businessmen to drug trafficking.

It says that all, when questioned, denied dealing in narcotics and accused political and business rivals of being out to malign them. Most of the conclusions seem to be drawn from denials by the suspects.

The report, prepared by a team headed by Deputy Commissioner of Police Alfred Ombaba, is unclear whether the team investigated specific allegations against the five made in a dossier circulated by the US embassy.

It is also unclear whether there were any attempts to get more information from the authors of the original document.

The police team cites legal obstacles, like rules against self-incrimination, that made the investigations difficult.

It also says some possible witnesses declined to record statements and there was collusion of civil servants based at Mombasa port, inland container stations and Container Freight Stations to conceal vital information from the investigators.

The report, seen by the Nation, recommends tougher anti-narcotics laws that will allow inspection of assets and tax returns of suspected drug traffickers.

Profiling of suspects

The document, expected to be tabled in Parliament this week, however, says there is no evidence to sustain charges against the four MPs and a Mombasa businessman named in Parliament by Internal Security minister George Saitoti as the ones mentioned in the US embassy report.

Those named included MPs Harun Mwau, Gidion Mbuvi, Hassan Joho and William Kabogo and businessman Ali Punjani.

The report recommends, among other measures, the profiling of suspects of drug-trafficking, all entry points in the country be supplied with sniffer dogs as well as continuous surveillance on known and suspected drug barons and peddlers.

It also calls for 100 per cent verification of all containerised cargo arriving at Mombasa port both from countries where drugs are known to originate and other suspect destinations.

The report raises concerns about security at local airstrips and those privately owned because they are unmanned by the police, saying they are likely to be used for drug trafficking.