The Milimani Law Court on 7th October 2020, found 2 of the three suspects guilty of having links to the 2013 Westgate Mall terrorism, a 4-day attack that happened on 21st September 2013.
The two, Mohamed Abdi Ahmed and Hussein Mustafa together with a co-accused, Liban Abdullahi Omar, all of Somali nationals, had been charged with conspiracy for terrorist action and support in aiding a terror attack by the al-Shabab at Westgate Mall back in 2013 . The trial began in 2014. Since 2011,the al-Shabab had vowed retribution on Kenya for sending troops to Southern Somali.
Chief Magistrate of the Milimani Law Courts ,Francis Andayi delivered the judgment against the two al-Shabab linked extremists ,a ruling that comes 7 years after multiple delays. The Westgate attack caused the lives of 67 people from 13 countries, damaged properties of un estimated worth and left numerous both injured and traumatized.
In the ruling, Francis Andiya said the prosecution proved beyond all reasonable doubts that the two had links to the 2013 Westgate terrorism. Investigation officers established that the two were in possession of materials used in the terror attack.
It was also established that the two were in communication with the attackers . Investigation officers recovered a laptop that contained materials relating to terrorism activities from Mohamed Ahmed Abdi.
A co-accused, Liban Abdullah Omar was acquitted of all charges for lack of evidence. Adan Dheq had also been been accused with the three but was released in 2019 due to lack of evidence against him.
The accused persons have been in prison for the last 7 years and a sentence is to be issued on the 22nd of October 2020.The chief prosecutor is set to push for a maximum sentence of 20 years.
This becomes the first ruling on terrorism attacks in the Country.
