A terror Suspect Abdimajit Hassan Adan who had planned to bomb the Supreme Court of Kenya and Parliament, KICC buildings in 2018 was yesterday found guilty of having dangerous weapons namely Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) including seven projectile bombs.

In a judgement rendered by Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Zainab Abdul found Abdimajit together with Mohammed Osman Nane and Lydia Nyawira Mburu guilty of various charges including being members of al shabaab, having dangerous weapons including 36 hand grenades, AK-47 firearm and 1099 ammunition and forging an official document.

“ I find that the prosecution has proved beyond reasonable doubt the charges Abdimajit, Osman and Nyawira here in beyond reasonable doubt and l therefore convict them accordingly,” the magistrate ruled.
However, the magistrate acquitted three co-accused persons namely Antony Kitila Makau alias rasta, John Maina Kiarii and Francis Macharia Karishu of all the charges including the main charge of conspiracy to commit a terrorist act, aiding and abetting Hassan in the commission of a terrorist attack, forgery and giving support to a terrorist act.

Fake documents

While convicting the Abdimajit, Osman and Nyawira, the magistrate ruled that the prosecution proved its case against them using 48 witnesses how Hassan, who is the mastermind worked with several Kenyans who helped him acquire fake documents and move around before the intended botched terror mission.

Evidence adduced in court she said, shows that Abdimajit worked closely with Osman and Nyawira.

In her decision, the magistrate detailed each role of the two aides of Hassan, who was arrested in Merti, Isiolo as he transported a vehicle laden with a total of 110 kilogrammes of trinitrotoluene (TNT) explosives, five AK-47 rifles, 36 gun magazines, three modified Nokia phones, 36 unprimed hand grenades, 18 pairs of grenade primers, five military-grade projectiles, and three military knives.

The magistrate said that there was overwhelming evidence that Hassan and Osman were found in possession of IEDs including seven projectile bombs to commit a terrorist act on February 15,2018 in Matarba area, Merti Sub-county within Isiolo county on various government institutions in the city.

The evidence adduced in court by police officers who testified in court shows that terrorist Abdimajit targeted the Supreme Court as the epicentre of the bomb attack, which would have been followed by successive explosions at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre, Parliament Buildings, County Hall, Technical University of Kenya, Central Bus Station, Jeevanjee Gardens, Serena Hotel, the University of Nairobi, and Milimani Law Courts.

In her decision, Abdimajit and Osman were also found guilty of possessing ammunition.

Terrorist group

In the last counts against them, the court said it was satisfied with the evidence presented showing that they were members of the terrorist group al Shabaab.

Another of their co-accused Nyawira was convicted of forgery of official documents on February 15, 2018.
In the count, Nyawira forged a national Identity Card bearing the name Jirma Huka Galgalo (deceased) who was a member of Al Shabaab purporting it to be a genuine and valid card.

The magistrate ordered Hassan, Osman and Nyawira be detained at Kamiti Maximum Prison and Lang’ata Women’s Prison, respectively, awaiting mitigation and sentencing on February 27, 2024.

Investigations into the matter showed that Abdimajit travelled to Somalia to join al-Shabaab in early 2015, underwent training in various camps in Somalia, and carried out some “assignments” in Somalia and in Kenya.

“He procured the vehicles that were to be used, sourced for safe houses, and facilitated the movement of the vehicle laden with explosives to Nairobi from El-Adde in Somalia through Elwak and Merti.”