Somalia MP to spend another night in Mandera police cell

Synage on the main entrance to Mandera Law Court. [Courtesy]

A member of parliament from Somalia's Jubaland state will today spend a second night at Mandera police station after he was arrested at the bus check point on Monday.

According to a charge sheet seen by The Standard, Yussuf Mohamed Gurhan was nabbed while in possession of a Kenyan identify card he allegedly obtained by false pretense.

"In the year 2006, you presented yourself as a Kenyan to the registrar of persons Ruqa division in Ijara Sub-county of Garissa county and willfully procured a Kenyan identify card bearing the names Yussuf Mohamed Gurhan a fact you knew to be a false" read part of the charge sheet.

The head of the directorate of investigations Gitari Muchira said although Somalia's Belet Hawa administration have requested for the release of the legislator, he will be arraigned in court tomorrow.

"We have received a letter from the DC in Belet Hawa asking for the release of the suspect whom he said is an MP in Jubaland state on the grounds of diplomacy," said the CIO.

The MP, Mr Gurhan who was also charged with making a false declaration for the purpose of obtaining the national ID card has been accused of entering Kenya through undesignated entry point

"...........You were found having entered Kenya through border point four which is not a designated point of entry or exit" read part of the charge sheet.

A contingent of KDF camped at Mandera Law Court in the morning on a tip off the suspect would be arraigned.

Members of Mandera county human rights group who witnessed the incident condemned the heavy presence of the military personnel seen in the court premises.

Noor Abdow the chairman of Human Rights network asked the government to take it seriously the insecurity that comes with the presence of Somalia nationals in the country.

"The KDF soldiers came with machine gun mounted on a land cruiser and a lorry full of soldiers inside the court compound causing fear to the citizens seeking services at the court," he said.

Abdow said such heavy presence of armed officers made the environment so tensed going against the virtues of justice within confines of the court.