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Terror suspects arrested leaving Mombasa court


Friday June 22, 2018



Three women accused of being members of al-Shabaab militants were arrested Thursday by Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) officers shortly after leaving court in Mombasa.

The ATPU officers in civilian clothes bundled the suspects, together with their parents, into a waiting vehicle that was parked at the court’s main entrance.

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Ummulkheir Sadri Abdalla, Khadija Abubakar Abdulkadir and Halima Adan, who are out on a Sh500,000 bond, were surrounded by the officers who informed them that they were under arrest.

BRANDISHED GUNS

The suspect through their lawyer Chacha Mwita tried to intervene against but the officers brandished guns.

The arrest came after the prosecution claimed allegations of impersonation, where it was purported that the suspects were being represented in court by other persons.
Mr Chacha said he will obtain a court order to force the ATPU to produce the suspects in court on Friday for defence hearing.

While delivering his ruling, chief magistrate Evans Makori said that the prosecution had established a case against the suspects.

20 CHARGES

“A prima facie case has been established against the accused who will be placed on their defence,” Mr Makori said

The suspects said they will be giving unsworn testimony.

The women have denied 20 terror related charges levelled against them including being members of al-Shabaab militia group.

They have also denied possessing videos and pictures of former and current al-Qaeda leaders Osama Bin Laden and Ayman Al-Zawahiri, who are known for organising and committing terror activities.

The suspects are accused of organising a meeting in Nairobi to plan how to cross into Somalia to join the militants on March 26, 2015.

FRESH PLEA

The suspects are further accused of conspiracy with their accomplices abroad to carry out terrorist acts in the country.

They are alleged to have committed the offence in El-Wak on the Kenya-Somalia boarder.

The court had dropped terrorism charges against Ms Maryam Said Aboud who passed on last month. She was buried in Malindi.

Following her death, the remaining three suspects had taken plea a fresh after the prosecution amended the charge sheet by striking out the deceased’s name from the court’s proceedings.

The case will be heard on June 22.

 





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