Dusit D2 terror suspects to stand trial in Kenya

NAIROBI, Kenya - A court in Kenya has placed two men at the crime scene, subsequently ordering their trial, following heavy links to the Dusit D2 tragedy in Nairobi, which left over 20 people dead in 2019, besides causing massive damage to the property.

Lady Justice Diana Kavedza acknowledged that Hussein Mohammed Abdile and Mohamed Abdi Ali, have a case to answer. The two had been arrested alongside Mire Abdullahi, who pleaded guilty and has since been sentenced.

“Having considered the evidence of 55 witnesses, including expert testimonies, and the material presented before me, I am satisfied that the prosecution has established a prima facie case against the two accused persons," the judge said in the judgment.

"I hereby place the second accused, Hussein Mohammed Abdile, and the third accused, Mohamed Abdi Ali, on their defense,” ruled the judge, paving the way for trial. The hearing is set for February 5 and 6, 2025, during which the defense will have the opportunity to present its case.

A fortnight ago, the US military confirmed the killing of Abu Abdirahman, one of the senior Al-Shabaab operatives, who is said to have organized the Dusit D2 attack in Kenya. He was killed alongside others in late December 2024 in Middle Jubba.

In 2023, the US government announced a Sh1.2 billion reward for information leading to the arrest and successful conviction of Mohamoud Abdi Aden, who was identified as the leader of the terror cell that planned the attack.

Investigations from the crime scene indicated that five Al-Shabaab militants who stormed the building were killed by the elite forces. Among them was Salim Gichunge, a Kenyan, whose spouse Violet Omwoyo has since relocated to Somalia, and married three times according to intelligence sources.

Kenya has since increased surveillance along its borders with the elite forces from Kenya Defence Forces manning critical entry points. At least 2000 soldiers from the KDF are also taking part in the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM). 

GAROWE ONLINE