Three men suspected to be Al Shabaab members detained for 30 days by Mombasa court

Three men, including a Kenya Wildlife Services KWS ranger, who were arrested in a Mombasa guest house on Wednesday have been detained by a court for 30 days to enable detectives to investigate them over alleged terrorist links.

An affidavit sworn by police before Mombasa Principal Magistrate Diana Mochache yesterday claims the three, who were allegedly found with 54 bullets and six ID cards belonging to different people, including a woman and mobile phones, might be connected to Al Shabaab.

Police allege they were arrested when one of them tried to transact an Mpesa money transfer using a woman's identity card at around 1.00am on Wednesay after checking into the hotel, allegedly, after travelling from Tana River County.

 Mohammed Hussein Warsame, Roble Kassim Abdi and Aden Abdullahi Abdi will spend their New Year's Eve at Central Police as police finish on their investigation.
The three who appeared before principal magistrate Diana Mochache were arrested at Salius Accommodation Guest House in Mombasa at 2:30 am after an alert from a member of the public.
Mochache directed that the three be accorded tight security after the first suspect said that his life was in danger.
"The suspects have raised an issue of security concerns over their life, therefore the police should ensure their safety in custody as the investigations continue for the 30 days requested," said Mochache.
The investigation officer Sargent Jackson Guyo told the court that the three among them a Wild Life Service officer, had been arrested at a guest house in Mombasa and 54 rounds of ammunitions of 7.62 mm special, six identity cards of different people and mobile phones.
He said that the three were preparing to commit a serious crime at unknown place and time within the republic.
"The offense is serious and transnational crime that requires extensive and wider investigations to establish the motive, the source of ammunitions, recovery of ammunitions and arrest of their accomplices," said Guyo.
The I.O said the three should not be released or granted bond because if released, they will interfere with witnesses, investigations and are at flight risk.
On Wednesday after their arrest by police, OCDP Mombasa Asin Martin confirmed the suspects were from Tana River County and had checked into the in the evening.
He said that one of the suspects identified as Abdullahi Abdi was indeed an officer of Kenya Wild Life Service after a KWS card was confiscated from him.
However Mombasa County Commissioner Nelson Marwa had said that the three were allegedly poachers who have been killing even warders.
Assin said that the ammunitions are used in AK47 riffle and three were planning to commit a major crime with all the ammunitions they had with them.
"These ammunition belong to a 7.62 special used with AK47 rifles and their intentions was to kill something valuable or vulnerable like humans or animals, we are yet to ascertain," said Asin.
Asin said that the three were arrested following a tip off from an MPESA agent who became suspicious when one of the suspects tried to deposit money using an identity card that belongs to a woman identified as Lilian Ayoko Otwoma as per her identity card confiscated from the suspects by police.
The OCPD said that the man was arrested at 2:30 am and upon interrogation he led the police to their hotel where they found the other two with fake identities and the ammunitions.
Asin said the three must be armed with AK riffles and police were intensifying their investigations to find out where the firearms were.
"There is no way one will have all these ammunitions and fail to have guns, we are investigating to determine where they have hidden the guns and their motive," said Asin
Asin applauded members of the public for being vigilant and raising alarm over the suspicious characters.
He said that peace and calm has been largely been experienced in the County due to corporation between the police and the members of public.
"Security and safety starts with us all, and we should be ready to volunteer any information to the police to avert any criminal activities from happening in our community," said Asin.
The three suspects, who had checked into the hotel, stayed calm as the police displayed the ammunitions and the fake identities they had in their possession.