Mombasa: High Court Orders Navy to Take Control of Mysterious Vessel Seized at Mtongwe Base

By Freddy Madebe

The Kenyan Navy has been authorized to assume management of the MV Igor, locally known as “Mashaallah,” following a High Court preservation order that restricts all dealings with the vessel.

ALSO READ: Mombasa Police Release VOCAL Africa Activist Sketty Walid After Public Pressure

Deputy Registrar of the High Court’s Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Division, Evelyn Gaithuma, issued the orders on Thursday, December 11, 2025, directing the Kenya Navy commander to manage and safeguard the vessel. The boat, which was seized on October 20, 2025, remains in custody at the Kenya Navy base in Mtongwe, Mombasa County.

The preservation order follows an application by the Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) under the Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act (POCAMLA). The vessel currently has no registered owner on record.

According to court documents, individuals associated with the boat will be prohibited from selling, transferring ownership, or disposing of the vessel while under Kenya Navy custody.

“THAT this Honourable Court be pleased to issue a preservation order restraining the Interested Party, his employees, agents and/or representatives acting on his behalf, prohibiting the sale, transfer or disposing off or other dealings with the boat MV Igor christened as ‘MASHAALLAH’ which has no registered owner and currently in the custody of Kenya Navy Mtongwe,” the order stated.

The court has also directed the Director General of the Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) to restrict the vessel’s movement.

The Kenyan Navy typically assumes management and control of vessels for maritime security purposes, including anti-piracy operations, counter-terrorism efforts, or law enforcement in Kenyan waters. Such action is generally taken when a vessel is suspected of involvement in illegal activities such as smuggling, piracy, or poses a security threat.

This development comes four months after the Navy, working alongside the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Kenya Coast Guard, and the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA), intercepted a vessel carrying six Iranian nationals and drugs valued at over Ksh8 billion.

That vessel was intercepted on Saturday, October 26, 2025, approximately 630 kilometres east of the Mombasa coast before being escorted to port. Kenyan security agencies had placed the boat under surveillance after regional and international partners raised alerts about suspicious activity in the Western Indian Ocean.

DCI Director Mohamed Amin confirmed that following the impoundment, security agencies obtained a court order authorizing inspection of the vessel’s contents.

Follow us on X