Trader who 'hosted' Fazul Abdullah barred men from home
Mahfudh Ashur Hemed and his son Ibrahim Ashur at the Mombasa Law Courts on April 10, 2015. They are accused of hosting Al Qaeda mastermind Fazul Abdullah at their home. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT |
What you need to know:
- Witnesses claim men were barred from entering the accused's home.
- Thirty seven prosecution witnesses have already testified.
A witness testifying in a case against a businessman and his son accused of hosting slain Al Qaeda leader Fazul Abdullah on Friday said no man was allowed in the trader’s house.
Ms Neema Juma said the businessman, Mr Mahfudh Ashur Hemed, who has been charged alongside his son Ibrahim Ashur, never allowed men inside his house in order to protect his family.
She told Mombasa Chief Magistrate Maxwell Gicheru that the reason for the accused's action was also in accordance to religious teachings.
The defence witness told the court that she worked for the accused as a house help for over ten years until 2005.
The witness who was being led in her evidence by defence lawyer Abdalla Mazrui said she used to visit the family even after quitting her job.
Upon cross examination by prosecutor Dominic Mate, the witness said she was also arrested at the house and taken to Malindi Police Station before being released.
The witness further said that she did not know what happened in the house at night.
HOSTED TERRORIST
The father and son are alleged to have hosted Fazul on unknown dates between December 2007 and August 2, 2008.
Another defence witness, Eric Howai, told the court that the accused have been his neighbours for almost ten years.
Mr Howai also told the court that he had not seen any male visitor entering the house without the owner, Mr Hemed.
“He (Mr Hemed) did not have a guest room, the was no place to host a visitor,” said Mr Howai, adding that he heard that the accused and his son were arrested because of hosting someone.
Upon cross examination by another defence lawyer Jared Magolo, the witness said there was no way there could be a visitor in the house without his knowledge.
The witness, who told the court that he was a contractor, said he could not explain what went on inside the house throughout the day
The court declined to allow an application by the defense to call one more witness to clarify some religious issues, saying it was not necessary.
Thirty seven prosecution witnesses, six of them are from the United States, have already testified.
Other charges facing Mr Hemed and Mr Ashur are that they were an accessory to the fact after murder, where it was alleged that as well knowing that Fazul Abdullah who was the head of Al Qaeda's operations in East Africa, they harboured, assisted and maintained him in order to enable him escape punishment.
Parties will highlight their submissions on May 19.
