On the evening of Tuesday, April 1, 2014, Sheikh Abubakar Shariff, also known as Makaburi, was leaving the Shanzu law courts, where he was facing terrorism-related charges, when several gunmen opened fire on him and several people accompanying him.
Eyewitnesses reported that two men dressed in white robes, driving a white car, shot at Makaburi and five others as they waited for the court gate to open. Richard Ngatia, the OCPD for the Kisauni area, confirmed the incident and stated that Makaburi was attacked shortly after leaving a court hearing.
Mombasa County Commissioner Nelson Marwa described the killing as a crime and announced that the government had launched an investigation.
However, the police did not provide any additional details about the assailants or the motive behind the attack.
Sheikh Makaburi Murdered
Following Makaburi’s death, some of his youth supporters took to the streets of Mombasa, expressing outrage over what they perceived as an assassination by Kenyan security forces. Protests were concentrated around the Musa Mosque in Majengo, a known hub for radical preaching associated with Makaburi and his colleagues.
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Protesters engaged in violent acts, including burning tires, erecting roadblocks, and throwing stones at the police.
In response, anti-riot police deployed tear gas and fired live ammunition to disperse the crowds.
Leaders Condemn the Cleric’s Killing
Political leaders and religious clerics condemned the killing of the cleric. Hussein Khalid, the executive director of Haki Africa, a Mombasa-based human rights group, strongly criticised Makaburi’s killing, referring to it as “state-sponsored murder.”
He stated, “Regardless of the situation, the government is responsible for either orchestrating Makaburi’s death or for failing to prevent it.” Khalid argued that despite Makaburi’s controversial views, he deserved due process and a fair trial for the terrorism-related charges he faced.
However, then-Interior Minister Joseph Ole Lenku denied any government involvement in Makaburi’s death and asserted that an investigation had been initiated.
“We are confident that those criminals will be brought to justice and dealt with according to the law,” Lenku stated.
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Makaburi’s killing occurred just months after the murder of Sheikh Abud Rogo, his closest ally, who was shot in a drive-by shooting while driving in Mombasa on August 27, 2012.
Before his death on April 1, 2014, Makaburi faced terrorism charges in Kenya for alleged recruitment and incitement linked to al-Shabaab.
He had been sanctioned by the United Nations and the United States in 2012 for his role as a facilitator and recruiter for al-Shabaab, which included an asset freeze, a travel ban, and financial restrictions. Although the cleric vehemently denied the allegations and maintained his innocence, the controversies remained.
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