Expert reveals source of arsenal used in Westgate terror attack

CID ballistics expert Lawrence Nthiwa. [PHOTO: FIDELIS KABUNYI/STANDARD]

Nairobi, Kenya: Terrorists who attacked Westgate Shopping Mall on September 21 last year used firearms from different countries, a trial court heard Wednesday.

Lawrence Nthiwa, a ballistics expert from the CID headquarters laboratory, told the court that Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) officers investigating the attack submitted eight damaged AK47 and G3 rifles, 927 spent cartridges, and 131 bullets recovered in the Mall.

Some 23 magazines were also recovered.

"I endeavoured to ascertain the calibre, serial numbers and country of origin of the firearms and the corresponding ammunitions used. I also did an analysis to establish whether all ammunitions recovered were fired from the exhibits submitted for examination," Mr Nthiwa said.

While testifying in the case in which Adan Mohamed Abidkadir Adan, Mohamed Ahmed Abdi, Liban Abdullah Omar and Hussein Hassan Mustafah are accused of supporting the attackers, Nthiwa said the exhibits were submitted for identification on diverse dates in October last year.

He said some of the bullets were recovered from bodies of the victims and the scene of crime. Nthiwa said they recovered two Belgian FN rifles, two Chinese AK47 rifles, two Romanian AK47 rifles and two others whose country of origin remain unclear.

The FBI-trained expert who produced in court the findings of the report compiled after the exhibits were identified was, however, put to task by defence lawyers Mbugua Mureithi and Mwaniki Gachomo to explain why he failed to distinguish between the firearms used by terrorists and those used by Kenyan security forces.

"It was not within my mandate and scope to draw a line as to who used which weapon during the attack. That was the role of the investigating officer who will provide those details when he testifies before this court," Nthiwa said.

He was further required by the defence to explain why there was a mismatch between the dates when the exhibit memos were prepared and when the final report was compiled.

"I believe there was an oversight during the labelling of the exhibits. However, I am not the one who prepared the exhibit memos as my role was limited to identifying the weapons used," he said.

State Counsel Mungai Warui informed presiding magistrate Daniel Ochenja 10 more witnesses are expected to testify when the trial resumes on September 23.