Panic as Nyahururu court room receives bomb threat

Police officers outside the Nyahururu law courts where two objects suspected to be
bombs were found. Panic gripped the town as residents scampered for safety with
court proceedings being paralysed. [PHOTO: JAMES MUNYEKI]

BY JAMES MUNYEKI

Nyahururu, Kenya: Panic gripped Nyahururu town mid-morning today after a suspected bomb was found planted at the local law courts. According to police, members of the public attending the court session spotted two objects bearing a threatening letter claiming that they were bombs.

Court proceedings which had already started were disrupted as people scampered for safety. Police arrived at the scene and immediately evacuated accused who were locked in a cell. The evacuation operation was led by Nyandarua County Commander Hamisi Mabea and Nyandarua North OCPD Benjamin Onsongo.

According to the county commander, residents who had attended Court Number One spotted the two objects and a letter addressed to the court. He said that they informed the magistrate who alerted the police before they swung into action.

“We did not take the matter lightly and immediately rushed to the scene. Our first action was to evacuate the suspects who were in the cells,” he said, adding that police from all departments were then deployed to the scene and they sealed off the zone.

“We mobilised all the police officers who helped in the evacuation exercise. We had to make sure that everything went  well without any injuries,” he noted.

According to Nyahururu principal magistrate Dennis Mikoyan, they found it wise to involve the police to avoid any case of suspicion.

He said that all the cases that were set for the day had been adjourned as police conducted investigations.

By the time of going to press, bomb experts were on their way from Nakuru.

Previously, the courts had dealt with two cases of people who were arrested with explosives and one charged with being a member of the Al-Shabab.

Samuel Wainana Wanjiru had been charged with being a member of the illegal group and his case was later transferred to Nairobi.

Police suspect that the incident might be connected with these two cases.