Senior Principal Magistrate Richard Odenyo however granted bonds of Sh500,000 each to 29 other suspects who will face trial/FILE
MOMBASA, Kenya, Feb 26 – Forty one suspects arrested during the recent clash at the Masjid Musa mosque in Mombasa have been freed by a court in Shanzu for lack of evidence.
Senior Principal Magistrate Richard Odenyo however granted bonds of Sh500,000 each to 29 other suspects who will face trial.
The suspects have denied seven terrorism-related charges against them, including being members of Somalia’s militant group Al-Shabaab.
Other counts include being found with articles connected to terrorism, incitement to violence, robbery with violence, preparation to commit crimes, possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Police stormed the mosque after intelligence reports indicated that youths there were undergoing radicalisation and recruitment to join Al Shabaab.
During the raid, police confiscated three laptops suspected to contain jihad sermons, a G3-rifle, and several flags that were hosted at the mosque.
At least six people among them a GSU officer were killed during the operation.
On Tuesday, the National Security Council (NSC) raised concerns about the threat of radicalization particularly at Masjid Musa and Sakina Mosques in Mombasa and Pumwani Riyadh Mosque in Majengo, Nairobi.
The NSC proposed a strategy targeting persons preaching and financing radicalization.
About The Author
