Brother of most wanted terrorist charged in Milimani court

Edward Oyoo Keya being escorted to cells at Milimani court. He was charged with dealing in property owned or controlled by terrorist groups. It was alleged that on diverse dates between the months of June 2015 and December 2016 at Pumwani hihgrise estate knowingly dealt with property belonging to his mother Keya Sera Owuor by receiving money in form of rent and sending it to his brother Ibra Salim through Aisha Abdalla.He will be brought to court on 23/2/2017 to respond to an affidavit opposing his release on bail and bond. 20/2/2017 PHOTO BY GEORGE NJUNGE

A brother of wanted Al-Shabaab terrorist Eric Achayo Ogada has been charged with handling properties belonging to terrorist groups.

Mr Edward Oyoo Keya appeared before Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Francis Andayi and denied the charges.

The court heard that Keya committed the offence between June, 2015 and December 2016 at Pumwani Highrise Estate in Nairobi.

He is said to have collected money as rent from a house belonging to his mother, Keya Sela Awuor, and sending it to Ogada alias Ibra Salim Erico through Aisha Hussein at Kismayu in Somalia.

Keya was also accused of providing financial and intermediary services by receiving rent money and sending it to his brother.

The accused requested more time to go through an affidavit filed by the prosecution not to grant him bail.

In the affidavit sworn by Sergeant Gitiye Ibaya of the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit, the police insist that Keya should be denied bail because he is likely to abscond.

"The investigations indicate that the accused has other associates he was passing information to and who are still at large, hence likely to interfere with investigations," said Mr Ibaya. Keya was detained for three days.

Ogada is among the wanted terrorists running businesses in Nairobi. Other beneficiaries of the businesses include fugitives who are on the police most-wanted list.

They include Ramadhan Kioko aka Pinji, Mohamed Tajir Ali aka Wahome, Ramadhan Shuaib aka Giggs, and Juma Ayub, who is also known as Otit Were and KB.

It is said that the local group's mainstay is to collect rent from businesses. Some of its members are actively involved in selling merchandise.

The group is said to have businesses on a stretch that connects Pumwani and Gikomba market and has constructed 30 stalls that it rents out to second-hand cloth and shoe sellers.