DCI Applauds Sentencing of 3 Suspects Who Tried To Bomb Milimani Law Courts

By Lauryne Akoth

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations has applauded the conviction and sentencing of the three suspects of terrorism who were yesterday sent to Kamiti Maximum Security Prison after six years of trial at the Milimani Law Courts.

The two suspects, Abdimajit Hassan Adan and Mohamed Osman Nane were sentenced to 19 years in prison after serving a mandatory prison sentence of six years. They were found guilty of attempting to bomb Milimani Law courts in 2018.

Their counterpart, Lydia Nyawira Mburu was also found guilty of forging national identity cards for known terrorists and was sentenced to three years in prison. Milimani Law Court Judge Zainab Abdul delivered her judgment yesterday where a total of 16 counts had been preferred against the accused persons.

The high-stake terrorism case had a total of 45 witnesses. A Mitsubishi Outlander, concealing a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) with high-explosive projectiles, including pipe bombs hidden at the dashboard, along with five AK47 rifles, 36 loaded magazines, and other items, was intercepted in Isiolo County.

Also found in their possession were 3 military-issued knives. According to the DCI, anti-terrorism investigators, who had been monitoring Abdimajit for a year since his return to the country from Somalia, where he had fled to join al-Shabaab, successfully thwarted the VBIED plot.

However, this intervention was not without a gunfight, resulting in the death of one of the bombers. Two others narrowly escaped during the incident.

Abdimajit who was waiting for his accomplices at Merti in Isiolo was also cornered and arrested, before being charged alongside his accomplices.

Judge Zainab’s verdict for the accused persons was as follows:

Count II & III (Abdimajit Hassan Adan & Mohamed Osman Nane): Unlawful possession of weapons for terrorism purposes under section 12 A (1) of the Prevention of Terrorism Act – Sentence: 19 Years Imprisonment.

Count IV – VIII (Abdimajit Hassan Adan & Mohamed Osman Nane): Unlawful possession of a specified firearm under section 4 A (1) (a) of the Firearms Act – Sentence: 25 Years Imprisonment.

Count IX (Abdimajit Hassan Adan & Mohamed Osman Nane): Unlawful possession of ammunition for use in a specified firearm under section 4 (3) (A) of the Firearms Act – Sentence: 1 Year Imprisonment.

Count X & XI (Abdimajit Hassan Adan & Mohamed Osman Nane): Membership in a terrorist group under section 24 of the Prevention of Terrorism Act – Sentence: 15 Years Imprisonment.

Count XVI (Lydia Nyawira Mburu): Forgery under section 349 as read with section 351 of the Penal Code Sentence: 3 Years Imprisonment.