MOMBASA, Kenya, Apr 12 – Two individuals suspected of recruiting young people into joining terrorist groups in Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will be detained for a further 21 days.
On Thursday, a Mombasa Magistrate Court ruled that Hussein Yusuf Mrafi and Ali Mwalimu Mwinyi should be held for a further three weeks to allow police to finish their probe.
The two are believed to be part of a network operating in the Likoni sub-county in Mombasa and have been enticing youths to join terrorist al Shabab and ISIS terror outfits.
They face charges of recruiting members of a terrorist group contrary to Section 13 of the Prevention of Terrorism Act No. 30 of 2012.
According to detectives involved in the case, Mrafi, aged 27, and Mwinyi, aged 21, utilized the teachings of the late Sheikh Aboud Rogo, a controversial preacher from Mombasa, to radicalize individuals into joining terrorist groups.
Furthermore, it was disclosed that the two suspects have connections with individuals who have already joined al-Shabaab, purportedly influenced by the radical teachings they encountered online, featuring speeches by Rogo.
Rogo, who was accused of extremist preaching and recruiting for al-Shabaab, was killed by unknown gunmen on August 27, 2012, along the Mombasa-Malindi road.
The investigating officer emphasized the ongoing threat posed by individuals still employing Rogo’s teachings for radicalization purposes.
The investigating officers sought a 30-day extension to conclude the investigation, including forensic analysis of three seized phones.
In his ruling, Senior Resident Magistrate David Odhiambo granted a 21-day extension for the investigation to be completed, scheduling the next hearing for May 7, 2024.
