Police want three women in cells for a month
Ms Naema Mohammed Ahmed, Ms Saida Ali Haji and Ms Shukri Ali Haji in a Mombasa court on September 13,2016 on charges of harbouring terrorists. They could not take plea due to a language barrier. PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- They said Ms Naema Mohammed Ahmed, Ms Saida Ali Haji and Ms Shukri Ali Haji were Somali citizens and were connected with the offence.
- An affidavit said the women were arrested on Sunday at Kibokoni and gave refuge to Ms Tasmin Yakub, the leader of the attack.
- Four mobile phones were recovered from the suspects and it is believed that they belonged to the slain terrorists.
Police on Tuesday said they want to keep in custody for 30 days three middle-aged women linked to the Sunday terrorist attack on a police station in Mombasa.
Detectives told the court that the trio have information that might assist in investigations in which three youthful female terrorists were gunned down as they raided Mombasa’s Central Police Station.
They said Naema Mohammed Ahmed, Saida Ali Haji and Shukri Ali Haji were Somali citizens and were connected with the offence.
The three women do not speak English or Kiswahili but only Somali. Besides, said prosecuting counsel Eric Masila, one of them was deaf.
Mr Masila hence asked for a Somali and a sign language interpreter. Resident Magistrate Emmanuel Mutunga said the interpreters would be available in court on Wednesday. He remanded the three women at Port Police Station.
POSSESS REFUGEE CARDS
An affidavit said the women were arrested on Sunday at Kibokoni and gave refuge to Tasmin Yakub, the leader of the attack.
“The suspects are believed to be Al-Shabaab operatives and possess refugee cards,” said the investigating officer.
He told the court that the suspects rented a house at Kibokoni, which is believed to have been used as a safe house for Al-Shabaab and Isis operatives in Mombasa.
Four mobile phones were recovered from the suspects and it is believed that they belonged to the slain terrorists, the officer added.
The phones and SIM cards have been taken for analysis and that investigation is wide and complex, the officer said.
“Their accomplices are at large and may take time to apprehend,” he added.
The three women were unrepresented and appeared calm as they sat in the dock.
On Sunday, police gunned down three women terrorists who had made their way into the station under the guise of reporting the theft of a mobile phone.
