Let me join school, DusitD2 terror raid suspect tells court

Behind the metal bars at the Kahawa Law Courts is Hussein Mohamed Abdile, a suspect accused of facilitating the 2019 DusitD2 terror attack.

Mohamed can follow court proceedings before High Court judge Diana Kavedza, unlike his co-accused Mohamed Abdi Ali who requires a Somali language interpreter.

After Chief Inspector Joseph Kolum, the last witness in the case, is stood down after an almost five-hour cross examination, Mohamed’s lawyer, Chacha Mwita, tells the court that the suspect wants to attend classes.

The 19-year-old wants to join primary school at the Kamiti Maximum Prison. That was on Thursday last week.

Abdile said the prisons authorities had on several occasions rejected his plea. “My lady, he wants to join primary school. However, the authorities say he is a high-profile suspect and cannot attend classes with other children. He still pleads that he should be allowed to go to school,” said Mwita.

Justice Kavedza said she would contact the person in charge at the Kahawa Magistrate Court to ensure Abdile receives a formal education.

“Education is essential for rehabilitation. Even if they serve the sentences and go out there, there is a likelihood of them relapsing. I will liaise with Justice Dola Chepkwony about the issue .”

Abdile, Ali and Mire Abdulahi Ali are accused of  aiding the attack that left 21 people dead.

Abdulahi admitted to the charges against him in 2023, leaving Abdile and Ali to battle the State.

Abdulahi was arrested on September 27, 2019, for providing internet services for the coordinators of DusitD2 attackers, who were using Facebook accounts Kingston, Elusive Router and Adam Chege, whose IP address in Jilib Somalia. Jilib is the Al-Shabaab operations hub.

The kit was activated in Dhusamareb, Somalia, and then moved to Jilib.

At the same time, Abdulahi obtained a Kenyan identity card for himself and his mother using statements from a District Officer and a chief. He also beat the system by producing a verification report.

The father of nine had also cheated his way to obtain a Kenyan passport in 2010, which he renewed in 2018. He presented his mother as Khadija Sheikh Shire when he took the first passport, then changed to Khadija Sheikh Adan.

However, investigations revealed he used an ID card belonging to Agnes Kwamboka from Kisii County.