Suspect charged over Mombasa explosions

Police escort two men suspected to be behind the Reef Hotel blast to Mombasa Law Courts on May, 6 2014. One of the suspects Abdirarazak Salah was Tuesday charged with being in possession of an article connected to instigation of terrorism. He was released on a Sh300,000 bond pending the hearing of the case. PHOTO/KEVIN ODIT

What you need to know:

  • Mr Abdirarazak Salah, who appeared before Mombasa Chief Magistrate Maxwell Gicheru, was charged with being in possession of an article connected to instigation of terrorism.
  • The suspect allegedly committed the offence on May 3, 2014 jointly with others not before the court and others who had already appeared in court.
  • A Canadian of Somali descent, who had been arrested together with Mr Salah, was freed after the prosecution told the court that he never took part in the alleged offence.

Police have charged one of the two men arrested two weeks ago in connection with recent explosions in Mombasa.

The suspect has been charged with a terror related count.

Mr Abdirarazak Salah, who appeared before Mombasa Chief Magistrate Maxwell Gicheru, was charged with being in possession of an article connected to instigation of terrorism.

The prosecution told the court that the accused person was allegedly found with a mobile phone containing a Jihadist text message.

The message allegedly found on an L-G mobile phone and copied on the charge sheet reads: “running away from jihad will not save you from death, you can die as a coward or you can choose to die as a martyr.”

INSTIGATE TERROR

The prosecution asserted the message was meant to instigate an act of terror contrary to section 3 (j) as read together with section 4 (1) on the Prevention of Organised Crimes Act of 2010.

The suspect allegedly committed the offence on May 3, 2014 jointly with others not before the court and others who had already appeared in court.

Magistrate Gicheru released the accused on a Sh300,000 bond and a Kenyan surety of similar amount who must be living within Mombasa County.

The case was fixed for hearing on July 1, 2014.

CANADIAN FREED

At the same time, a 57 Canadian of Somali descent, who had been arrested together with Mr Salah, was freed after the prosecution told the court that he never took part in the alleged offence.

The prosecution informed the court that investigators had found Maxed Osman Ibrahim to be an ordinary tourist on holiday in the country.

Mr Ibrahim who was discharged under article 87 (a) of the Constitution was reportedly arrested at the Reef Hotel hours after an improvised explosive device (IED) was detonated on May 3, 2014.

Already two people have been charged in court for allegedly detonating the IED at Reef Beach Hotel in Kisauni, Mombasa County and denied bond.

Mr Ahmed Abdallah Ali Skanda and Mr Nassir Abdallah Ali Skanda who were earlier remanded for 20 days to allow police complete their investigations have denied the offence.

They were jointly charged with others not before court for allegedly detonating an IED endangering the general public.

They also denied seriously damaging Reef Beach Hotel’s property.

The two further denied being in possession of one bag and two T-shirts used to carry and conceal the IEDs for the commission of a terrorist act.