Al-Shabab Suspect pleads guilty in court

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 26 – A man who was arrested with a cache of weapons in Kayole on Tuesday night has admitted in court that he was behind the grenade attack that killed one person and injured several others at Nairobi’s OTC bus stage.
Elgiva Bwire Oliacha alias Mohamed Seif pleaded guilty before a Nairobi Court on Wednesday that he colluded with others to cause grievous harm to Justus Makau Mulwa and Patrick Ndolo Kinyingi.

Bwire also pleaded guilty to the charge of engaging in criminal activity by being a member of the Al Shabaab terror group when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Gilbert Mutembei.

The 28-year-old man who hails from Budalang’i was also charged with being in possession of ammunition without a firearms certificate, a charge which he pleaded guilty to.

Chief Magistrate Gilbert Mutembei directed that the case be brought for mention on Friday following a plea submitted in court by The Anti Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU).

The ATPU asked for the accused be remanded at the Kilimani Police Station, while a further compilation of facts in the case is done.

Bwire was arrested on Tuesday night in a police raid that led to the recovery of 13 grenades among other weapons.

Police had described him as a prime suspect in a series of terrorist attacks in the country, a day after two grenade attacks hit the capital Nairobi leaving one person dead and 30 others with various degrees of injury.

The swoop was carried out at a residential flat in the densely populated estate of Kayole where the Kenyan man was arrested following what Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere described as “credible intelligence reports.”

“This is a major breakthrough in the war against terrorism in the country,” Iteere told journalists, displaying 13 rusty hand grenades, four pistols, two submachine guns and 717 rounds of ammunitions.

“We have also seized literature for war and others on how to make and use explosives. The suspect is in our custody and he is going to assist us get his accomplices,” Iteere had said adding “the suspect is a member of one of the terrorist cells who have committed several terrorist attacks in the country.”

“We are going to drive these people out of town; we will not let a small group disturb the peace of Kenyans.”

The warnings follow fears that Al Shabaab insurgents who have warned of reprisal attacks may hit target areas within the city to protest a military offensive in their lawless country Somalia.

The military offensive in Somalia was launched after high profile kidnappings of four European women seized from Lamu Island and Dadaab refugee camp in Northern Kenya, including that of Frenchwoman Marie Dedieu who died while in captivity in Somalia. Police have blamed the kidnappings on Al Shabaab.