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Police officer linked to Al Shabaab detained for 30 days


A court has ordered for the detention of a police officer for 30 days so as to establish his links in a recent car explosion that has left over 20 people dead.

Senior principal magistrate Martha Mutuku allowed the plea by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) to lock up police constable Waiss Abdulaziz Mohammed who is suspected to be a member of Al Shabaab.

This, the court ruled, would enable the authorities to find out the accused person’s connection with the recent spate of terrorism activities which led to loss of lives.

“I urge this court to take judicial notice of recent incidences whereby police vehicles have blown off after running over improvised explosive devices (IED) in Mandera and Lamu where over 30 people, including school children, died,” State prosecutor Solomon Naulikha submitted.

The accused has been charged with participation in terrorism activities, membership to a terrorist group, promoting terrorism and being in possession of articles connected with terrorism. If convicted, the officer could serve up to 100 years in prison.

EXPLOSION

On June 28, 2017 four police officers, four school children and three adults perished in a road explosion while eight police officers died in Mandera when their vehicle attached Mandera Governor Ali Roba was blown off.

State prosecutor Solomon Naulikha said it should not skip the court’s attention that the country is about to go the general elections in August 8, 2017 and all security measures should be put in place.

Mr Naulikha urged the court to order the detention of the suspect to avail information regarding these incidents and other planned ones be laid bare to avert a repeat.

Mr Naulikha further said security apparatus need to gather intelligence information from the suspect who was found with gadgets used to liase with the terrorism groups in the country and in Somalia.

The accused, who is based at the Vigilance House, was found with a laptop, three sim cards and material used in radicalization of youth.

The magistrate ordered the suspect be detained until August 4, 2017 when he will returned to court.