Fingerprints hitch in terrorism case

What you need to know:

  • Mr Riley, who is an inspector, also told senior principal magistrate Joyce Gandani that from the analysis conducted, there were common mobile phone numbers on Sim cards found at the house.
  • The detective denied claims that Kenyan police officers, who conducted an earlier search at the house on December 19, 2011, “planted” some of the items found by his team.
  • The detective told the court that a flash disc, which was part of the exhibits sent to the United Kingdom for analysis, had around 7,000 files.
    He said he was not sure if any of the documents on the disc had been distributed.

No DNA or fingerprints were lifted from exhibits seized at a house where suspected British terrorist Jermaine Grant lived, a court heard on Thursday.

This might have been due to the way the exhibits were stored and handled, said Scotland Yard detective John Riley.

Mr Riley, who is an inspector, also told senior principal magistrate Joyce Gandani that from the analysis conducted, there were common mobile phone numbers on Sim cards found at the house.

He said that on December 30, 2011, they went to a house in Kishada, Kisauni, where Mr Grant and other suspects lived and searched it.

The detective denied claims that Kenyan police officers, who conducted an earlier search at the house on December 19, 2011, “planted” some of the items found by his team.

He was testifying in a case in which Mr Grant and Ms Warda Breik have been charged with possession of explosive materials.

Besides, the two and Mr Frank Nyenyoto are said to have conspired to improvise an explosive device to cause loss of lives and harm to innocent citizens.

CHEMICALS

They are said to have committed the offence with others not before court.

Mr Riley said he witnessed the recovery of items in the second search. “I am not sure whether any chemicals were mixed at the scene. There was no professional equipment for measuring chemicals.”

He was being cross-examined by defence lawyer Chacha Mwita.

The detective told the court that a flash disc, which was part of the exhibits sent to the United Kingdom for analysis, had around 7,000 files.
He said he was not sure if any of the documents on the disc had been distributed.

On cross-examination by another defence lawyer, Mr Jared Bosire, the witness said they could not request details of mobile phone numbers that had been sent to them by service providers.

The witness said they asked the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit to make the request.

Previously, the court heard that explosives may have been made at the house.