Suspected member of Al Shaabab found to be mentally unstable

 

A man who presented himself to Nakuru Central police station claiming to be a member of Al Shabab militia has been found to be mentally unstable.

The Anti - Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) boss Mr Munga Nyalo said the 23-year-old suspect has been ruled out as mentally unstable after intensive investigation process.

Mr Nyalo said the suspect was picked from Nakuru by anti-terror police officers ATPU offices in Eldoret for interrogations. 

By Wednesday morning, investigations revealed that the youth had psychological disorder and could not be treated as a terror suspect.

“Anti-terrorism officers from Eldoret picked the suspect in Nakuru but according to our investigations, he has mental problem and cannot be linked to terror group,” said Mr Nyalo.

The ATPU boss said the suspect whose identity was not revealed would be released either today or tomorrow saying that there is no credible evidence to link him to Al Shabab militia neither training he had claimed to have undergone.

He is currently held at ATPU offices in Eldoret.

Nyalo said the suspect's case was not exceptional from numerous others received from youth whose intention is to get sympathy from members of the public and the government.

A section of individuals who present to police claiming to be members of Al Shabab and other terror groups presume they can be awarded with money for upkeep.

Some said the suspect had revealed secret plans bomb various shopping malls and buildings but was found to be mentally unstable.

“Several youth present themselves to police in pretense of being members of outlawed militia, thinking by doing so, they will be rewarded by the government. Majority are those who have abused drugs and are addicts,” said the ATPU boss.

The suspect presented himself at Nakuru Central Police station on Sunday evening claiming to be a member of Al-Shabab militia.

He was interrogated by officers at Nakuru Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCIO) before being handed over to ATPU for more interrogation.

An investigator who did not want to be mentioned because he is not authorized to speak to media said during interrogation at DCI offices, he claimed to have trained at Bombolulu in Mombasa.

He claimed to have trained for five month at Bombolulu after joined Al Shabab in September 2018.

Asked why he left the militia group, he claimed to have feared for his life more so after the recent Dusit attack in Nairobi, where a number of terrorists were killed and others arrested by the police.

“The suspect claimed he feared for his life after he witnessed what happened during Dusit attack,” said an investigator.