Three Sudanese nationals Ahmed Ismail Alduma Adam, Mohamed Elmutasim Ahmed, Haisam Ahmed Elmkashfi before Kibera Principal Magistrate Kibera law courts where they were charged with robbery with violence on Thursday January 7, 2016.
BY SAM ALFAN.
Three suspects of Sudanese origin were on Thursday arraigned in court and charged with robbery with violence and kidnapping charges.
The accused Ahmed Ismail Alduma Adam, Mohamed Elmutasim Ahmed and the notorious Haisam Ahmed Elmkashfi appeared before Kibera Principal Magistrate Lucas Onyina where they denied three counts of robbery, trafficking of persons and being illegally in Kenya.
Mr Onyina on an application by the prosecution directed that the suspects be remanded at Kilimani police station until Monday to allow police complete investigations.
“I order that the suspects to remain in custody pending investigations upon which they will appear in court on Monday,” Onyina said.
Police officers in Kilimani arrested Elmkashfi a Sudanese national accused of masterminding kidnappings targeting foreigners, a few days after the arrest of two accomplices.
Adam and Ahmed were arrested on Tuesday in what police said a three-member gang which had fake documents indicating they are members of the International Police (Interpol) Task Force which they used to lure foreigners.
According to the charge sheet Adam, Ahmed and Elmkashfi are accused that on diverse dates between November 20 and December 6 last year at Sky View Park apartment in Nairobi’s Kilimani area while armed a pistol and and a pair of handcuffs they robbed Mohamed Elshassan.
They allegedly took away his Sudanese passport, mobile phone and suitcase and threatened to use violence against him.
The trios were also accused of abducting and illegally harboring Elshassan at Sky View Park apartments limited room number 504 along Lenana Road in Kilimani for purposes of financial gain.
Elmkashfi faced an additional count of being illegally in the country where it was alleged that on January 5 this year in Dandora Phase IV being a Sudanese national he was found to be present in Kenya unlawfully.
Kilimani Police boss Peter Katam had urged Kenyans and foreigners who may have fallen victim to them to report the cases.
“We have made the arrest of the most wanted criminal who was masterminding robberies particularly involving foreign nationalities,” he said.
In addition to asking for ransom, he said the suspects used to torture victims while threatening to kill them as they recorded them on video.
The arrest of the three comes after they kidnapped a prominent businessman from Sudan whom they held hostage for 17 days in an apartment on Lenana Road and only released him after they received a ransom.
Police believe the gang is widely networked and could be working with other people from the countries where the victims come from and also some Kenyans.
