Makaburi is charged with inciting his followers to burn churches following the execution of another Islamic preacher Sheikh Aboud Rogo in Mombasa/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 29 – The hearing of a case against fiery Islamic preacher Sheikh Abubakar Shariff alias Makaburi has been postponed to November 29 after the prosecution said it was not ready to proceed.
The hearing which should have started on Monday was put off after the court heard that the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions had called for the file.
Makaburi is charged with inciting his followers to burn churches following the execution of another Islamic preacher Sheikh Aboud Rogo in Mombasa.
Prosecutor Samson Kiptum told Mombasa Chief Magistrate Stephen Riech that the file had been called for scrutiny in the ongoing inquiry of the brutal killing of Sheikh Aboud Rogo.
Makaburi’s lawyer Mureithi Mbugua opposed the application saying the trial of his client was not linked to the inquest into the death of Sheikh Rogo.
“The arrest of my client Makaburi was done so fast and it is disheartening to see the hearing adjourned even after my client pleaded not guilty,” said Mbugua.
“The file should have been released before my client appeared for the hearing today. The trial of my client should have started immediately and be concluded within reasonable time,” added Mbugua in his submission.
Kiptum insisted that the police were ready to proceed with some of the witnesses who were in court.
Makaburi has denied that on August 27 at Majid Musa Mosque without uttered words encouraging violence, which saw two days of running battles, with grenades hurled at two police trucks, killing three officers and wounding over a dozen others.
Meanwhile, Mbugua has said a previous case in which Makaburi is jointly charged with the late Sheikh Rogo in Nairobi might be transferred to Mombasa following an application he has made before Justice Mbogholi Msagha.
He said he wanted the case to be transferred to Mombasa because his client was incurring unnecessary expenses and yet the alleged offence was committed in Mombasa.
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