A terror convict who conspired with Somali terrorists to blow up the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi has been sentenced to serve 30 years in jail for the offence.
Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Bernard Ochoi slapped Victor Odede with the sentence saying terrorist activities are both a threat to human life and economic development.
“Even though the accused expressed remorse, this court takes judicial notice of the mass destruction of the innocent lives caused by the atrocities meted out by clueless and senseless terrorists who through weapons of mass destruction without caring about the damage it will cause,” Magistrate Ochoi ruled.
Also Read: Kenyan Man Convicted for Conspiring with Terrorists to Bomb KICC
Bwire was sentenced to ten years in prison for the first count of conspiracy to commit a terrorist act, while in the second count of collection of information in an attempt to commit a terrorist attack at the KICC building, he was handed 20 years in jail.
The sentences will run concurrently. Meaning he will only serve 20 years in jail.
At the same time, the court dismissed his mitigation for a non-custodial sentence.
According to the court, freeing him would jeopardize the ongoing search for the most wanted international terrorist Mohamed Yare Abdalla who is being sought by the US.
Yale was the mastermind of the Dusit terror attack which left scores dead.
Bwire was found guilty and convicted by the court on January 16, 2023.
He had opened three Facebook accounts which he used to collect data and disseminate the same to Somalia-based terror group, Al-Shabaab.
Bwire is said to have been recruited in executing the planned attack by his cousin Elgiva Bwire.
