Garissa attack suspect took photos of the dead

An employee of Garissa University was arrested while taking pictures of the terror attack scene, a court heard yesterday.

Geoffrey Busolo of Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) told the court that Sahal Hussein, a security guard at the university, was off duty on the material day. But after the attack, he added, officers who had joined the rescue team found him taking photos of the dead students with his mobile phone.

"He could not account for his actions at the crime scene, which had been secured by officers from various units," Busolo said.

The witness said after the attack, there were officers drawn from Kenya Defence Forces, regular police, Administration Police and Recce squad, who were assigned to man the campus until the ATPU team arrived.

Busolo said on being questioned, Hussein could not explain why he was taking the photographs.

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The officer said immediately the rescue operation began, there was an order that no photographs should be taken, save for designated scene of crime personnel.

"We sought to establish from the accused why he was taking the photographs yet there was an order restraining anybody from taking any," Busolo told trial Magistrate Daniel Ogembo.

Hussein is charged alongside Hassan Aden Hassan, Mohamed Abdi Abikar, Rashid Charles Mberesero aka Rehani Dida and Osman Abdi Dakane with carrying out the terrorist attack and being members of Al Shabaab.

Lawyers Steve Mogaka and Mbugua Mureithi sought to know how the suspects were arrested.

The witness said out of the five terrorists who carried out the Garissa University attack, four were killed while the fifth accused was arrested while hiding under a bed in one of the hostels.

"The accused person did not respond when we introduced ourselves as police officers. We kept on calling if there was anybody who was nervous to come out and be rescued," the witness said.

Busolo said they arrested Rashid Mberesero, a Tanzanian, who gave conflicting accounts of his presence under the bed.

"He first said he was a student after I pulled him out but later said he was visiting a friend who he could not identify. He also could not tell us what subject he was studying at the university," said Busolo.

The prosecution presented 713 live bullets that were recovered from the slain terrorists.