More days in cell for 12 Dusit attack suspects as probe continues

A Nairobi court has allowed police to detain a man linked to the dusitD2 terror attack for 30 days.

Mr Yakub Issa Ahmed has been linked to the ETR receipt recovered in Mucatha, the home of Mr Ali Salim Gichunge, one of the attackers in the January 15 incident.

The court heard that food was bought from KFC Limuru Road on January 14 and that a review of CCTV footage place Mr Ahmed at the counter ordering it.

“The existence of these facts imputes conduct upon the respondent that warrants investigations into the extent of what he knew about the attackers,” officer Abdishakur Adan, of the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit, said in an affidavit.

FIVE OTHERS

The court also allowed police to detain five other suspects linked to the attack for three weeks.

The five, among them a man believed to have helped terror suspect Violet Kemunto flee from the country, were arraigned on Monday.

They were arrested in Mandera on January 29, police suspecting that they have been in constant communication with the Al-Shabaab terrorists who attacked the dusitD2 office complex on January 15.

They are a minor, who was taken to a Mandera court last week, and Mohammed Hassan Sheikh, Mire Abdullahi alias Jerry, Ali Issak Ahmed and Yussuf Maulid Hamud.

CONTACT

An affidavit filed in court by investigator Shedrack Mumba said Mr Hassan had been in touch with the person who helped Ms Kemunto, wife of Mr Gichunge, travel from Mandera to Somalia.

The affidavit said the suspect received luggage belonging to Ms Kemunto from Mr Gichunge on January 12.

Officer Mumba said the minor was arrested while in possession of a mobile number used to register a Facebook account, suspected to have been used by the coordinators of the attack.

The minor is also alleged to have received a parcel from Mr Gichunge on July 7, 2018.

INTERNET

The officer added that Mr Abullahi is believed to have provided internet services to the coordinators of the attack in which 21 people were killed.

Police say he also acquired a Kenyan passport fraudulently.

Mr Ahmed and Mr Hamud are said to be the sub-agents of Faramcell Communications, which was allegedly used to register a phone number using the identification card of a woman identified as Isnina Abdirahman Ali.

The mobile phone was recovered at the scene of crime and is suspect to have been used by the man who blew himself up outside Secret Garden Restaurant.

SIX OTHERS

At the same time, six other suspects linked to the attack will be detained for 18 more days.

Senior Principal Magistrate Martha Mutuku ruled that the prosecution gave compelling reasons to further hold Mr Hassan Abdi Nur, Mr Ismael Sadiq Abitham, Mr Ali Khamisi Ali, Mr Abdinoor Maalim Osmail, Mr Abdullahi Muhumed Hassan and Ms Sophia Njoki Mbogo.

The six have been in custody for 12 days.

According to the magistrate, the offence being investigated is serious and involves jurisdictions including South Africa and Somalia.