Coast leaders say they have sufficient evidence to take legal action against state for Masjid Musa raid

Mvita MP Abdulswamad Sharif Nassir addresses the press Naivasha over the mosque raid in Mombasa where he said that they would take legal action against the government. [PHOTO: ANTHONY GITONGA/STANDARD]

By ANTONY GITONGA           

NAIVASHA, KENYA: Coast leaders have now vowed to take legal action following last week’s police raid in Musa mosque in Mombasa.

The leaders said that they had collected ample evidence which showed police brutality and lies during the raid.

Though they were quick to deny that they supported terrorism and the radical youths, the leaders called for justice.

Addressing the press in Naivasha, Mvita MP Abdulswamad Shariff Nasir said that they were preparing a report over the raid that saw over 120 suspects arrested.

He said that once ready they would hand over the report and evidence to parliament and senate for debate and action.

Nassir alleged that eight people were shot dead by police during the raid which saw some women and minors arrested.

"I buried eight people and we are seeking the whereabouts of four others who were arrested by police during the raid," he said.

Shariff said that some of the youths arrested were mentally unstable. He also alleged police had planted guns on those arrested.

"The information that police issued regarding the raid was full of lies and we have evidence to prove this," said the MP who was flanked by several ODM MPs.

The legislator said that if not acted on, the raid would set a bad precedent with police raiding more mosques and churches.

He noted that the incident had traumatized many families and property destroyed by the security officers.

The MP hit out at NSIS in Mombasa for failing in their work as cases of terrorism continue to be reported in the region.

"NSIS gets a lot of money from the government but it has failed to collect information or act on terror cases in the Coast," he said.