Driver of vehicle used in Mpeketoni attack charged with murder
Dyana Salim, one of the suspects arrested on June 18, 2014, over the Mpeketoni attacks that left at least 60 people dead. Mr Salim was on July 2 charged in a Mombasa court with the murder of more than 10 people. PHOTO/SAMUEL BORN MAINA/FILE
Dyana Salim, the driver of one of the vehicles used by the Mpeketoni attackers, was charged Wednesday in a Mombasa court with the murder of more than 10 people.
He denied the charges.
Corporal Raphel Wanjohi had last week told the court in a sworn affidavit that the suspect was allegedly carjacked and his vehicle used to carry out the attack.
“It is alleged that the Nissan matatu which he drives was carjacked and used to ferry the attackers to Mpeketoni town,” Mr Wanjohi told the court in relation to Mr Salim.
CLAIM OF HIJACKING
The suspect has claimed in the past that he was hijacked, beaten and left for dead when the crew of a bus company rescued him.
On June 23, he and four others appeared before senior resident magistrate David Ireri but were not charged.
Instead, police asked the court then to grant them ten days to complete their investigations.
More than 60 people were killed in the June 15 and 16 night massacre as gunmen raided Mpeketoni town in Lamu County. Property including vehicles, houses, a fuel station and a police station were burnt during the attack.
