Iranian terrorists fight life sentence

Two Iranian men sentenced to life imprisonment for carrying out terror related activities have lodged an appeal against the judgment at the High Court in Milimani.

Sayed Mansour Mousavi and Ahmed Abolfathi Mohammed were each handed a life sentence after being convicted of intending to cause grievous harm—having been found in possession of 15kg of explosives and plotting a crime.

Mousavi and Mohammed, who were arrested in Nairobi in June 2012, want a speedy hearing of their appeal and had also requested to be released on bail pending the appeal.

Their lawyer, Mr Kiraithe Wandungi, told the court that the two want to be present in court during the hearings and their case to be handled urgently because of the “peculiar circumstances.”

Justice Alex Ithuku directed yesterday that the case be granted a closer hearing date and was scheduled for December 4.

Mousavi and Mohammed shipped in 100kg of explosives, out of which 85kg has never been found.

According to a sworn statement by a detective in the case, Mr Kennedy Musyoki, the two are now more risky than ever before, now that they are facing life sentences.

If they are released on bond or bail, they could go on and commit a grave terrorist act using the 85kg explosive at their disposal.

Adding that, since they have no permanent place of stay in Kenya, it would be difficult to trace them.

Sufficient evidence

While passing the life sentence earlier in the year, Chief Magistrate Kiarie Waweru Kiarie ruled that the evidence adduced by the prosecution established beyond reasonable doubt that the two had in their possession powerful explosives that could bring down a big building.

At the time of the Iranians conviction, it was unclear whether the pair had ties to Al-Qaida-linked militants in Somalia or were part of another network.