Police seek more time to probe terror suspects

The three were presented before Mombasa Senior Resident Magistrate Ritah Orora on Monday evening and the state argued that they were likely to interfere with ongoing investigations if set free.

Investigators say the three had been in constant communication with other suspects in and outside Kenya.

“Intelligence shows that Swaleh and Tirrifo have guns. We are yet to (find) the weapons,” said investigator Joseph Mwai.

The investigators also said they were following leads on other suspects in and outside Kenya.

The court heard that Mr Swaleh and Mr Tirrifo could be National Police Reservists (NPR).

“We require 21 days to ascertain this allegation through the NPR database,” Mr Mwai said.
ATPU officers also seized the suspects’ mobile phones and registration documents for analysis.

Mr Tirrifo was not found with any document and his fingerprints were forwarded to the National Registration Bureau to ascertain his identity. 

Investigators were also waiting for the suspects phone call data, M-Pesa statements and other information from service providers, Mr Mwai said.

Detectives said the three were arrested for being members of undisclosed terrorism group.

The suspects did not oppose the request to detain them but said they are farmers and honey gatherers.

“I am an innocent farmer. I am not linked to any terror group,” said Mr Konzi, who added that he spends most of his time taking care of his bee hives.

He said he was arrested by the police while on his usual duties and has nothing to do with terrorism.

Mr Swaleh and Mr Tirrifo, on the other hand, explained that they are police reservists and that they were going about their business when they were arrested.

The magistrate ordered that the suspects be detained at the Central Police Station pending the conclusion of investigations.

Meanwhile, the Court of Appeal has upheld a death sentence for a man implicated in the 2012 Bella Vista Club terror attack in Mombasa that left one person dead and several others injured.

Thabit Yahya Jamaldin hurled a grenade that exploded, leading to loss of life and destruction of property.

The sentence was passed by the High Court in 2016. Appellate judges said evidence produced in the case proved that Jamaldin played a key role in the attack in which Mary Cheptirim, a security guard at the club, died.

"We find no reason to disturb that sentence. The result of this appeal is that it fails in its entirety and is accordingly dismissed," said Justine Stephen Kairu, Pauline Nyamweya and Jessie Lesiit.

Evidence showed Jamaldin admitted to being at the scene of the blast, with an eyewitness saying he had refused to be frisked. He left, only to resurface 10 minutes later with the grenade, which he hurled at the club’s entrance and it exploded.