Garissa terror suspects convicted, jailed

Garissa University attack suspects from Hassan Edin Hassan (L), Mohamed Abdi (C) and Charles Mberesero Milimani Court on June 19, 2019.Hasan, Abdi and Charles were found guilty of being members of terror gang Alshabaab and have been jailed. [George Njunge/Standard]

A court on Wednesday jailed three suspects for abetting the 2015 Garissa University terror attack in which 148 people were killed.

Rashid Charles Mberesero was handed life sentence while his counterparts Mohammed Abikar and Hassan Edin Hassan were handed 41-year jail term each after being found guilty by the court.

Last month, June 19, 2019, Milimani Court Chief Magistrate Francis Andayi freed Sahal Diriy alias Sahali Diriye Hussein after it was found that the prosecution did not provide enough evidence linking him to the attack.

On the other hand, the Judge was satisfied with circumstantial evidence which linked the other three suspects to the massacre, which remains the second-deadliest terror attack in Kenya.

“The court finds that they knew the plot and were part of the attackers as they were arrested while travelling from Garissa two days after the attack,” the Magistrate said.

In January 29, 2019, Milimani Court Chief Magistrate Francis Andayi ruled that the State had provided sufficient evidence which nailed the three. They were found to be having a case to answer.

More to follow