Nairobi court convicts man planning IS caliphate in East Africa » Capital News
NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 13 — A Nairobi court on Friday convicted a man charged in 2016 with several offences under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, and Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act.
The court sitting at the Milimani Law Courts found Mohamed Abdi Ali, known by aliases Abu Fidaa, Abu Shuhadaa, and Abu Ramzi, guilty of multiple offenses, including being a member of a terrorist group (ISIS), organizing meetings in support of terrorist activities, and recruiting individuals to join terrorist organizations.
Ali was also charged with the collection of sensitive information and possession of materials linked to the execution of terrorist acts.
While delivering the judgment, Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku, currently presiding at Kerugoya Magistrate Court, ruled that the prosecution proved the case against the suspect beyond a reasonable doubt through testimonies from 26 witnesses, including the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU), the US’s FBI and Uganda Police.
“During sentencing submission, the prosecution led by Duncan Ondimu, sought a custodial sentence of up to 90 years due to the seriousness of the offences and the impact they would have had on the country, and the defenseless nature of the victims,” the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP) said.
The prosecution highlighted the defendant’s profile, noting that as a medical doctor, Ali was well aware of his actions and might have utilized technology to facilitate his criminal activities.
The court, however, acquitted co-defendant Nuseibah Mohamed Haji, Alias Umm charged alongside the convict.
Police apprehended Mohamed Abdi Ali on April 29, 2016, at his residence in Wote Town within Makueni County. Uganda’s Police arrested his co-accused Haji at the Entebbe International Airport.
The arrests followed investigations linking them to alleged plans for the establishment of an IS caliphate in Kenya and East Africa.
The court slated Ali’s sentencing for April 22.
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