Pleas for mercy help Baktash Akasha escape life sentence

Sunday, August 18, 2019 — updated on April 06, 2021 - 7 min read

Kenyan drug lord Baktash Akasha. He was on August 16, 2019 sentenced to 25 years in prison by a US court. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

Prosecutors had asked Judge Victor Marrero to sentence Baktash to life in prison in response to his guilty plea 10 months ago.
Baktash could actually end up serving less than 20 years, defence attorney George Goltzer suggested following Friday's court session.
Baktash will be deported to Kenya upon his eventual release from a penitentiary in the US.
Baktash rose in court to offer apologies for his violations of US law.