JKIA blast suspects out on Sh20m bail
Four men facing a charge of carrying out a terrorist attack at Java restaurant located at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport were on Wednesday released on a Sh20 million bond.
Hassan Abdi,Mohamed Osman,Ilyas Yusuf and Garad Hassan will also be required to have two Kenyan sureties of a similar amount.
The accused also face more than 12 counts, including being unlawfully present in the country and being in possession of explosives.
Nairobi acting chief magistrate Doreen Mulekyo, while granting the accused bail, said the court was alive to past terrorist attacks in the country.
According to the prosecution, the accused carried out the terrorist attack at JKIA unit one jointly with others not before court.
The accused are also alleged to have been found unlawfully present in the country on diverse dates this year within Nairobi.
Prosecutor Fridah Mwanza had sought to have the accused denied bail after they made their application through lawyer Chacha Mwita.
“The state is opposed to the application for release on bond, the accused are not Kenyans and have no fixed abode,” said Ms Mwanza.
The prosecution also relied on an affidavit of inspector Leonard Bwire who said the Anti-Terrorist Police Unit has information that the attack at Java restaurant on January 16 was executed by the suspects together with others not arrested.
“The information with the police is that the applicant have unknown assorted explosives hidden intended for terrorist act,” said Mr Bwire.
Mr Bwire said that after the arrest, the suspects led police to their residence in Ushirika estate within Eastleigh for a search.
He stated that police recovered 2.05 kilograms of trinitroleune (TNT), a powerful military explosive from the suspects’ getaway vehicle.
Mr Bwire said police believe the suspects are international criminals who if granted bail will abscond court and it will be difficult to trace them.
The accused are also alleged to have been in possession of explosives on January 16 this year at Shauri Moyo trading centre.
The court directed the accused to report to the police every Friday.