A Nairobi court has issued orders to detain four more suspects arrested in connection with the January 15 terror attack in Nairobi.
The new suspects include Imam/ assistant Sheikh Mukhtar Ibrahim Ali, Ethiopian national Issak Hussein, Sakina Marian Abdalla (mother to slain attackers Ali Salim Gichunge) and George Kamau Ndung’u.
police sought for 30 days before Senior Principal Magistrate Martha Mutuku to investigate possible involvement of Ali, Hussein and Sakina’s involvement in aiding and abetting a terrorist attack.
Ali and Hussein were arrested on 19th January 2019 in Mandera County.
The police believe that that the Imam facilitated one of the attackers from Moyale to Nairobi on 12th January.
The court heard that more time is needed to go through his mobile phone numbers, bank accounts and confirm connections to other possible terrorists.
According to the submissions by the state, the Ethiopian Hussein was arrested alongside the Imam. He purported to be a Quran student at his Madrassa.
Sakina who is the mother to one of the attackers who was killed on 15th January was arrested in Meru County.
The court heard that the police need time to confirm the information she has given them regarding the whereabouts of her son.
She allegedly told the police that Gichunge was born in Meru in 1992.
The court heard that after finishing school, the attacker moved to Isiolo town where he was employed in a cyber cafe.
Gichunge travels to Somalia
In 2014 she alleges that her son went missing and only resurfaced and called her in 2016.
He is said to have informed her that he had gotten a scholarship in Somalia to study Islamic Religious Education (IRE).
Sakina is believed to be in communication with the wife of her late son Violet Kemunto who is still at large.
Suspects’ response.
In response to the request to detain the for a month, the Imam told the court that he has a family that depends on him and should therefore not be detained for the 30 days sought.
Ali told the court that he has three wives and many children.
Hussein told the court that he did not deserve to be remanded since he is unaware of the said allegations.
He further submitted that he was just passing by the Madras and decided to inquire about classes when police ambushed them.
Hussein further submitted that he does not know the Imam and even requested to be prosecuted differently.
Sakina on the other hand told the court that her son went missing in 2015 and not 2014.
It was her submissions that the 30 days requested by police were many since she has other young children who depend on her
She responded to the allegations by saying that even if she communicated with her sin while in Somalia, she did not do it in bad faith.
“He only said he got a scholarship and would soon be employed as an IRE teacher.” Sakina said.
Sakina who wept most of the time in court said that here tears were not as a result of her incarceration rather because of what he has done.
The court granted the state the days sought and directed that the matter be mentioned on 21st February.
Narok suspect
Regarding the fourth suspect, the state sought to have him detained for 10 days.
Kamau who hails from Narok is alleged to have gone missing from his home for a year and only resurfaced on 17 the January after the attack.
His family even filed a missing persons report.
Police sought for more time to obtain call data records to know who he has been in communication with during that time.
The police suspect he could be involved with the terrorists.
The magistrate have the orders to detain him and directed the matter to be mentioned on 31st January.
