Two terror suspects found guilty of plotting to bomb Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi in 2018 have both been handed a 19-year sentence behind bars.
In a verdict delivered by Milimani Court Senior Principal Magistrate Zainab Abdul, the convicts identified as Abdimajit Hassan Adan and Mohammed Osman were found guilty of nine counts related to terrorism.
Magistrate Abudul Charged the duo with a minimum prison sentence of 25 years for each defendant with no possibility of custodial sentencing.
She however, considered the six years the suspects had spent in police custody while the trial was ongoing thence reducing their sentence to 19 years.
“I find that the prosecution has proved beyond reasonable doubt the charges Abdimajit, Osman and Nyawira herein beyond reasonable doubt and l, therefore, convict them accordingly,” the magistrate ruled then.
“The accused persons herein were arraigned before the court on 16 April 2018 where they faced nine (9) counts under the Prevention of Terrorism Act and the Penal Code to which they all pleaded not guilty,” read part of a court document.
The magistrate also sentenced the duo’s co-accused Lydia Nyawira Mburu who was found guilty of forging Identity Cards (ID) to three years in jail.
The ID had the name Jirma Huka Galgalo (deceased) who was a member of the Al Shabaab terror group.
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The terror incidence
Adan and Osman were both found guilty in February of having seven projectile bombs and other improvised explosive devices (IEDs) with the intention of carrying out a terror act.
The pair were two among six suspects arrested in Merti in 2018 while smuggling weapons to plan the assault. They were found guilty of having five designated firearms and thirty-six hand grenades.
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On the other hand, two individuals who were charged alongside the suspects during the 2018 arrest were cleared by the court.
In 2018, the five denied all allegations of planning to attack the court buildings and rescue Sheikh Guyo Gorsa who was being held over terror-related allegations.
The five allegedly planned to carry out an attack at the Milimani Chief Magistrate’s Court on February 16 a day when Gorsa was supposed to appear in court to answer terror-related accusations.
“The respondents were headed to launch an attack at the Milimani Chief Magistrate court on February 16 when the Sheikh was expected to appear in court to take a plea in terrorism and related charges and the attack was meant to illegally free him from custody,” police informed the court.
Strategy of the attack
Before rendering a decision, the magistrate explained the roles played by Hassan’s two assistants.
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Hassan was arrested in Merti, Isiolo while driving a car that contained 110 kg of trinitrotoluene (TNT) explosives.
Still in the car, five AK-47 rifles, 36-gun magazines, three modified Nokia phones, 36 unprimed hand grenades, 18 pairs of grenade primers, five military-grade projectiles, and three military knives were seized.
Furthermore, the court revealed other areas targeted by the convicts for bombings including the Central Bus Station and the Technical University of Kenya, County Hall, Parliament Buildings, and the Kenyatta International Convention Centre also featured in the list.
