Mandera court allows anti-terror police to detain Congolese man for 14 days
Congolese national Daniel Muamba Mamina who was arrested in Mandera on suspicion that he was on his way to Somalia to join Al-Shabaab. A Mandera court has allowed anti-terror police to detain him for 14 days as they complete investigations. PHOTO | MANASE OTSIALO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- At El Wak, he was briefly interrogated by a panel of security agencies.
- The security agencies handed him over to Mandera ATPU officers for further interrogation.
- But according to Mr Opondo, the suspect could not give a reasonable purpose of his travel.
- The ATPU want more time to enable them contact DRC to establish if he has any criminal record.
A Mandera court has allowed anti-terror police to detain a Congolese national for 14 days to allow them complete investigations.
In a sworn affidavit, police constable Stephen Opondo told the court that more time was needed to investigate Daniel Muamba Mamina’s travel from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to Mandera.
Constable Opondo told the court that police believe the suspect had intended to cross the border and link up with Al-Shabaab insurgents in Somalia.
“Due to a wide scope of investigations, and the sensitivity of the matter, ATPU (Anti-Terror Police Unit) is praying for 14 days to complete investigations,” said Mr Opondo.
Mr Mamina, 29, was arrested in El Wak Town on August 26, 2016 aboard an E-Coach bus on his way to Mandera from Nairobi.
He holds a three-month visa issued at the Busia border on August 23, 2016.
At El Wak, he was briefly interrogated by a panel of security agencies but, according to Mr Opondo, the suspect could not give a reasonable purpose of his travel.
The security agencies handed him over to Mandera ATPU officers for further interrogation.
The ATPU want more time to enable them contact DRC to establish if he has any criminal record and the validity of his travel documents.
Mandera Senior Resident Magistrate Peter Areri granted the prayers and remanded the suspect at the Mandera Police Station.
