Police interrogate grenade attack suspect's wife

By CYRUS OMBATI

Police investigating the grenade attacks at the Machakos Country Bus have now arrested the wife of one of the suspects who was once held over his alleged links with Somalia militia Al Shabaab.

Ms Husna Ali Shaaban, the wife of Hussein Nderitu Abbas alias Mohamed was arrested by detectives from Anti-Terror Police Unit (ATPU) for undisclosed reasons.

But insiders revealed they are still probing the last Saturday blast that claimed nine lives and left more than 60 wounded.

She was arrested from their city house and taken to ATPU where she was being grilled for the better part of the day.

"She is being grilled by the officers and we are yet to know why," said Nderitufs lawyer Chacha Mwita.

Nderitufs picture together with that of Sylvester Opiyo was last December circulated by police who said they wanted to grill them.

The two later surrendered to police who questioned them before setting them free. By then, terror threats were rife and high and police were following intelligence that could help deter the same.

On Friday, Opiyo and three other minors reported back at ATPU as directed by police. They had been arrested on Sunday, a day after the blast and grilled for three days.

The others were identified as Swaleh Ali, 13, Mustafa Gathogo, 14 and Victor Otieno, 16.

According to Mwita, Swaleh was due to join form one while Otieno is already in form one in one of the city schools and had a Swahili assignment that he was supposed to do.

"Police took ipods, mobile phones and Sh200 from the boys. All minors were interrogated and statements recorded from them before their fingerprints and photographs were taken without the presence of a lawyer or guardian," said Mwita.

The four were arrested in Umoja estate as they moved household goods into a new house.

Police said in December Opiyo and Nderitu were wanted as they "have vital information on Al Shabaab activities in Kenya."

They then both suspects lived in Nairobifs Pumwani area, with Opiyo working as a goods loader in Gikomba market while Nderitu is a taxi driver.

Both individuals have cases pending in court, having been arrested in March this year.

On Friday, police said they were yet to know the real suspect revealing indications were that the grenades were manufactured in China.

"Preliminary findings show the grenades were manufactured in China but we are yet to know how they landed in the attackersf hands," said a senior officer aware of the investigations who asked not to be named.

It also emerged the blasts were five and not four as earlier reported.

The injured 40 victims are still in hospital. The area of target by the attackers is usually crowded at such time as is the main terminus of most passengers headed for upcountry and pedestrians headed for or coming from the busy Gikomba and Muthurwa Markets.

Police and witnesses said the attackers were in a salon car and were driving along Landhies Road towards Jogoo Road when the incident occurred.

The attackers threw five grenades consecutively about seven meters apart. Police combing the scene said they had recovered a safety pin and lever that shows the grenades were manufactured in China.

One of the victims died more than 100 meters away from where one of the grenades landed, an indication he was trying to escape on foot when he bled and fell on the way.

@