Kenya jails three Tanzanians over terror links

By Fauxile Kibet

WAJIR, KENYA: A Kenyan court has sentenced three Tanzania nationals to 15-years each in jail after they were found guilty of engaging in terror related activities.

The three, Mbarouk Ali Adibu (34), Idarous Abdirahman (32) and Islahi Juma (22) from Zanzibar, were arrested in Wajir last year while attempting to cross into Somalia – with items believed to be used in terrorism activities.

Wajir senior resident magistrate Amos Makoros while passing the judgment said that the trio were found guilty and will serve their sentence at Wajir prison.

The sentencing comes at a time when the Kenyan judiciary has come under criticism for failure to convict terror suspects – although the judiciary arm has also blamed police for not delivering proper evidence to sustain the trials.

A few weeks ago, a Nairobi court freed a suspect who had been arrested for allegedly having played a role in the September 2013 Westgate Mall terror attack – which killed 67 people.

Chief Magistrate Francis Andayi set free Abdikadir Adan for lack of evidence but other three suspects Mohamed Abdi, Liban Omar and Hussein Mustafah were found guilty.

The Kenyan government has intensified its fight against terror after a recent attack in the country’s capital Nairobi claimed 21 lives. The Al-Shabaab terror group claimed responsibility for the attack.

Kenya’s Police Inspector General Joseph Boinett on Tuesday said that 12 suspects among them a New Zealand national were arrested at Dadaab refugee camp in Garisa, North Eastern Kenya.

The police boss added that three other foreigners, Sulub Warfa, and Ramadhan Yusuf both New Zea;and nationals and an Ethiopian identified as Sakawawedin Abdullahi Mohammed, were arrested near the Kenya-Somalia border.

“The two were heading to Garissa from Dajabula in a white Toyota Hilux Double Cabin,” Mr Boinnet said.