Father and son charged over Thika Road blasts

A father and his son were on Monday charged over the twin terrorist blasts on Thika Road that killed three commuters early this year.

Mr Sar Guracha Haro and his son Warque Dejene Sar faced 10 counts of terrorism-related charges before Nairobi Chief Magistrate Hannah Ndung’u.

The prosecution said the two placed explosives that went off in two commuter buses at the Homeland area and at the Roysambu underpass, resulting in the deaths of three passengers on May 4, 2014.

Several other commuters suffered serious injuries.

According to the charge sheet, the duo also solicited and received Sh85,000 for carrying out the terrorist attack.

The prosecution said that Mr Sar and his son, jointly with others not before the court, received the money through an M-Pesa agent identified as Cool Breeze Kakuma.

The cell phone number used was registered in the names of Sar Guracha Haro.

The amount was meant for supporting the terrorist act.

AL-SHABAAB MEMBER

The younger Sar was further charged with being a member of Al-Shabaab.

Prosecutor Eddie Kadebe said that on May 12, 2014, at the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit office in Nairobi, the suspect professed to being a member of Al-Shabaab.

Mr Sar was also charged with threatening a witness.

The court heard that on July 4, 2014, at the Milimani Law Courts precincts, he threatened to kill one Paul Karanja Muchiri, a witness who had testified against his son, Dejene.

“The words showed an intent of retaliation against the witness in contravention to section 17 of the Prevention of Terrorism Act," the charge stated.

The suspects will stand trial on November 12.

They were denied bond after the prosecution convinced the court that they were a threat to national security.

Three police officers are listed as prosecution witnesses.