Man found with terror videos jailed for 15 year

A man found in possession of videos and https://cdn.standardmedia.co.ke/images of Al Shabaab-related propaganda on his mobile phone was yesterday slapped with a 15-year jail term by an Eldoret court.

Ramadhan Adam Athman was found guilty by Eldoret Magistrate’s Court of being a member of Somalia-based terrorist group Al Shabaab.

Athman was arrested in Kipkaren Estate in Eldoret town on June 16, 2016 and charged with being in possession extremist materials contrary to Section 30 of the prevention of terrorism Act 2012.

Chief Magistrate Charles Obulutsa said Athman’s offence would have attracted a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, but a mitigation plea by the defence had been considered.

The court said there was adequate evidence to show that Athman possessed the phone in which the extremist materials were extracted from.

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Obulutsa said the literature the accused was found with read: “The youth are ready for war with Kenyans who are against Jihad and they will slaughter Kenyans.”

The Chief Magistrate described the offence as serious given the series of terrorist attacks that have been witnessed in the country, citing the recent terrorist attack that claimed 21 lives at 14 Riverside in Nairobi.

The defence pleaded for a non-custodial sentence, arguing that the accused was a first time offender who faithfully attended court proceedings, and never used the articles he was found with  to commit a terrorist act.

Lawyer Chacha Mwita, representing Athman, pleaded with the court not to convict the accused based on emotions.

“Let us limit ourselves to the law, and not emotions that will lead us to a mob justice of crucifying accused persons,” Mwita told the court. “We cannot ignore what has been happening in our country. It has come to light that those perpetuating terrorist activities are people born and bred in Kenya… the evidence brought before court is credible and consistent,” said Obulutsa.