Jermaine Grant says wife barely knew him before Mombasa marriage

 

Terror suspect Jermaine Grant (left) confers with his lawyer Chacha Mwita during the hearing of his case where he is facing terrorism charges at Shanzu Law Courts in Mombasa County on Tuesday 17th February 2015. His case was adjourned until 19th and 20th of March 2015. [Photo/Kelvin Karani]

A British terror suspect has told the court that his wife knew very little about him before they were married.

Jermaine Grant said he married Warda Brek Islam two days after she was introduced to him by a friend.

"When I got married to Warda on December 18, 2011 at her parents home, where the wedding took place, she knew very little about me," Grant told Senior Principal Magistrate Joyce Gandani at a Shanzu court in Mombasa yesterday.

Grant is charged alongside Warda, fugitive Fuad Abubakar Manswab, and Frank Ngala with possession of bomb-making materials in Kisauni and that they were plotting to bomb tourist hotels frequented by British and US citizens

Grant yesterday also recounted how he was arrested on December 19, 2011.

Grant said he was arrested while riding on a motor bike by officers in three cars with tinted windows.

"I was arrested by armed police officers who did not introduce themselves to us," he said.

Grant said they were bundled into a matatu and driven to a police station which he did not know.

"They searched me and took my cell phone and put a black hood on my head as they shouted at me," said Grant.

He told the court that while still in the vehicle with his head covered with the hood, he was pushed and hit his face on a blunt object before somebody else who he believes to be Fuad was also pushed into the vehicle.

Cell phone

He said after about 10 minutes, the hoods were removed and that was when he realised that they were in a police station.

Frank Ngala was at pains to explain how a cell phone belonging Grant was found in his possession.

Ngala, a matatu driver, told the court that he found the phone in the matatu and that he was arrested while listening to an FM radio station.

The accused insisted he never used the phone to call Grant but police asked why he hid it when officers stormed his house on Christmas Day.

"You first refused to give up the phone when the police came but after the arrest of your father, it is your mother who gave it out from where you had hidden it," said State lawyer Jacob Ondari

Ngala at one point said he never used the phone as he did not have its password but later admitted using it to call his father, whom he said had gone out to buy some palm wine.

Grant denied knowing Ngala before they were charged together.