Controversial businessman shot dead in Mombasa

Mombasa, Kenya: A controversial businessman was on Friday evening shot dead near Moi International Airport about 200 metres from Changamwe police station in Mombasa.

He was travelling with his son during the incident where he was shot about 25 times but his son was spared.

Shahid Butt, who owns Modern Coast, a leading bus and trucking company in East Africa had just picked his son at the airport and was driving towards Mombasa city centre when men in a blue Toyota Probox opened fire on his car at around 8.00pm.

Relatives said Butt had picked his son who had arrived from India at the airport and suspect he had been trailed by the assailants.

Police have not explained why they did not intervene when the shooting started or where the assailants escaped to.

Mombasa police commander Robert Kitur identified the deceased and confirmed that the shooting began outside the police station.

Butt is a controversial businessman in Mombasa  and has been accused of terrorism funding. He was detained late last year for interrogation after police accused him of funding the radicalization of muslim youth in Mombasa.

He was given bond and was to appear in court next month. He also sits on a committee that manages several mosques in Mombasa.