A court in Kenya has found two men guilty of helping the al Qaeda linked al Shabaab militant group launch a deadly terror attack in a mall in the capital Nairobi in 2013, which left 67 people dead. A third man was however acquitted of all charges in the five-hour judgment delivered on Wednesday.
Seven years since the upmarket Westgate Mall attack, one of the worst terror attacks on Kenyan soil, Chief Magistrate Francis Andayi delivered his ruling on the 12 charges the accused faced.
Mohammed Abdi Ahmed and Hussein Hassan Mustafa were found guilty.
“The prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt against the first and 4th accused persons, I find them guilty and convict them as follows against the accused on charges of conspiracy of committing a terrorism act and supporting a terrorist group,” said Chief Magistrate Francis Andayi.
This is the first conviction in the terror case:
Liban Abdalla Omar was acquitted of all charges. The prosecution welcomed Wednesday’s ruling but was quick to add that they will be seeking maximum sentences for the two.
“It is justice for the people of Kenya and the people who were affected in the attack,” said prosecutor Edwin Okello.
Security was high in and around the courts as the magistrate delivered the much-awaited ruling. Submissions on the sentencing of the two will begin on 22 October.
