Four Kenyans found guilty of Uganda bombing

Four Kenyans were yesterday found guilty of involvement in the 2010 Kampala terrorist bombing that left 74 people dead.

The four were among eight suspects facing murder and terror charges.

The same court also found two Tanzanian brothers guilty of playing a central role in the twin attacks; at a restaurant and a rugby club in the Ugandan capital.

Three other Kenyans were freed after the court failed to find sufficient evidence linking them to the terror attacks.

Uganda High Court judge Alfonse Owiny-Dollo convicted the four; Idris Magondu, Hassan Hussein Agade, Habib Suleiman Njoroge and Mohamed Ali of murder and terrorism. The maximum murder sentence in Uganda is death.

Another Kenyan Yahya Suleiman Mbuthia (brother to Suleiman Njoroge) was acquitted after the prosecution failed to prove he was involved in the attacks.

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The brothers were arrested in September 2010 in connection with the blasts. Mr Njoroge was arrested at the Malaba border trying to sneak into Uganda.

Mr Mbuthia, a journalist working for Salama FM station in Mombasa, was arrested later by the anti-terrorism police unit.

 DEEPLY INVOLVED

“The court is satisfied that Habib Suleiman Njoroge brother of Suleiman Mbuthia (who has been acquitted) was deeply involved in the Kampala attacks and finds him guilty,” ruled Justice Owiny-Dollo.

The judge made a finding that those convicted of terrorism offences had “a meeting of minds” with the common purpose of bombing.

The court also acquitted two other Kenyans; Muhammed Hamid Suleiman and Mohammed Awadh. They were acquitted alongside Abubakari Batemetyo (Ugandan) after the prosecution failed to prove that they were involved in the attacks.

Isa Ahmed Luyima from Tanzania, who is said to have been the mastermind of the bombing, was the first to be found guilty of executing the terror attacks alongside Seleman Hijar Nyamandondo (Tanzanian).

The twin blasts organised by Somalia’s Al Shabaab targeted football fans watching the World Cup final between the Netherlands and Spain at a restaurant and a rugby club in the Ugandan capital.

The 13 suspects were charged on a range of charges, including terrorism, murder and membership of a terrorist organisation.

The trial of the 13 suspects started in March 2015, but was delayed after the lead prosecutor was killed.