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6 NTSA officials linked to Riverside attack car return to court

The arrest of the six is linked to the discovery of a vehicle in Kitengela with an identical registration number as the one used by terrorists who attacked 14 Riverside Drive on January 15/CFM NEWS

NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 1 – Six officials of the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) are due in court on Friday where police will be seeking to detain them for more days to conclude investigations over their involvement in the 14 Riverside Drive terrorist attack that left 21 dead.

Charles Wangocho, Stephen Kariuki, Nderitu Irving, Cosmas Ngeso, Jacqueline Githinji, and Anthony Mjaka are believed to be part of a criminal web at the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) irregularly issuing vehicle registration numbers.

The arrest of the six is linked to the discovery of a vehicle in Kitengela with an identical registration number as the one used by terrorists who attacked 14 Riverside Drive on January 15.

Already the police are holding another NTSA official – Augustine Mulwa Musembi – after a magistrate’s court on Wednesday authorized his detention for 30 days to allow the police conclude investigations.

Three other suspects linked to the 14 Riverside Drive attack are due back at a Nyeri Magistrate Court, with the police seeking to retrieve call logs and other related data that they believe will help in ongoing investigations.

Resident Magistrate Nelly Kariuki allowed police to detain Abdul Kibiringi, James Mwai and Habiba Hunshur, pending an appearance before her court today.

Police constable Newton Mwangi, attached to the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit, told the court the suspects were arrested on Friday last week in Nyeri town.

“The initial investigations show the suspects have a link of other suspects in the attack at 14 Riverside Drive. Police are waiting for call logs data to finalize the investigations,” Mwangi said.

The 10 suspects currently being questioned are part 15 undergoing active interrogation by the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU), the first batch having been arraigned in court on January 18.

The ATPU was granted 30 days to hold five suspects arraigned three days after the Riverside attack, among them a Canadian.

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Joel Ng’ang’a Wainaina, Oliver Kanyango Muthee, Gladys Kaari Justus, Guleid Abdihakim (Canadian) and Osman Ibrahim — are all believed to have facilitated five Al Shabaab terrorists who launched the deadly attack on January 15 described by Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Monica Juma as having targeted the world.

READ: 14 Riverside Drive attack ‘targeted at the world’ – CS Juma

A detailed chronology of the five suspects arraigned in court on January 18 indicated that they had been arrested between January 16 and 17.

Wainaina was arrested around MP Shah Hospital in Nairobi on Wednesday, while Muthee, a taxi driver was arrested on January 17.

Kaari, a mobile-money transfer agent was arrested in Maua, Meru County, on January 16, whereas Abdihakim was arrested on January 17.

The fifth suspect, Ibrahim, was arrested at the Two Rivers Mall in Nairobi on January 17.

A sixth suspect was later arraigned separately on January 23.

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