Kenya denies 4 Somali terror suspects bail after appeal
Kenya’s High Court on Wednesday denied bail on four Somali terror suspects charged with connection with Jan. 16 blast at the East African country’s main airport.
Senior Principal Magistrate Doreen Mulekyo had earlier released Hassan Abdi Mohammed, Mohammed Osman Ali, Yusuf Warsame and Garad Hassan Fer on 233,000 US dollars bond each and two Kenyan sureties of similar amount.
However, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Keriako Tobiko later made a successful application to the High Court to have the bail decision overturned.
Tobiko who was aggrieved of the decision said he swiftly made an application to the High Court late Wednesday, seeking a revision of the magistrate’s order to grant bail to the suspects.
High Court Justice Msagha Mbogholi heard the application and granted stay of the decision to grant bail to the suspects pending the full hearing of the application.
The four men were charged over the recent blast at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and were arrested allegedly with explosives at a trading center in Nairobi.
The magistrate had earlier dismissed the prosecution request seeking to prevent the suspects from being granted bail.
“The prosecution did not adduce any tangible evidence in court to prove the allegation except the charged suspects,” the magistrate ruled and concurred with defense application for bail as is allowed by the constitution.
The security officers said they believe the four are directly linked to the explosion that rocked a Java coffee restaurant outlet in the airport. The police said the attack was planned and executed by the four together with others who are still at large.
The suspects have an unknown amount of explosives hidden in an undisclosed area meant to be used for terrorist attacks and want also to oppose their release on bail.
The suspects have denied all the charges. The airport blast has made the authorities to intensify security checks at the airports and have advised passengers to arrive an hour before normal reporting times.
The authorities have beefed up security at the airport both ground and in the air to ensure safety of passengers and citizens who are landing and departing for various destinations across the globe.
globaltimes.cn