BY NT REPORTER.
Nairobi Magistrate court has released North Mugirango Member of Parliament Charles Mong’are’s daughter and her boyfriend who were arrested last week over suspicion of involvement in terrorism activities pending investigations by Anti-terrorism Unit (ATPU).
Senior magistrate Martha Mutuku directed the two, Erisiana Sabiri Mong’are and Ahmed Salim Lali to report to the ATPU offices once a week for a period of one month and not to travel outside the county until the investigations are done.
The legislator was also directed to personally pick his daughter at the ATPU offices after failing to appear in court.
Sabiri, 22, and Mr Salim, 24, a ICT student are accused of engaging in terrorism activities.
“There’s nothing like terrorism, it’s just an issue of a parenting, “Lawyer Hassan Nandwa said
Addressing the media after his release, Salim said that the politician has tarnished his career and reputation and he might sue him for defamation.
“The father of the girl is a politician and he is just using the ATPU to instil discipline into her and the potential son-in-law. The MP could not believe that she has fallen in love with a Muslim boy,” the lawyer said.
Salim was arrested on Thursday May 25 in South C, while Sabira was arrested in the CBD on Kenyatta Avenue.
The legislator was summoned last week after Erishina Sabiri Mongare was arraigned in court alongside her Muslim boyfriend Ahmned Salim Lali and accused the legislator of fixing and pushing to have them charged over the said charges.
“I hereby direct the Investigating officer to summon the respective parents to appear in court on Monday to shed more light on this allegations, “ruled Martha Mutuku
Through lawyer Hassan Nandwa, the court was told that the legislator is against the relationship of the two.
“This is a case of two youths who opted to cohabit without the blessings of their parent, “said Nandwa.
Lawyer Nandwa said that the ATPU wants to charge the couple after the father of the lady moved to ATPU to instill discipline in the daughter and the son in law.
Nandwa asked the court dismiss the application saying that it is based on mere speculation.
In the case the prosecution wanted the two detained in police custody pending investigations.
The court heard that the suspects are in love and the investigating officer has concealed the relevant information.
According to the investigating officer sergeant Gitiye Ibaya, the two were arrested on the 25th of this month at South C and Nairobi CBD along Kenyatta Avenue respectively.
Ibaya argues that the two love birds have been in constant communication with known terrorists elements that are wanted by the police on terrorism charges.
The prosecution further claims that there’s need for them to travel to Mombasa and Kwale to County to carry out the said investigations.
“The respondent’s phones have been submitted to ATPU ICT LAB for analysis and the investigating officers needs to contact Safaricom Service Provider in order to obtain their call data records,”argued Ibaya
The court was told that the 24 years old man had secured a room at Heela Hotel in South C Nairobi where he was staying with the Mp’s daughter since 18th May 2017 until yesterday when they were arrested.
‘That the respondents are now in custody for the offence of engaging in terrorism activities that is recruiting of youth to join terrorist group-al-Shabaab,”court heard.
The two are alleged to be planning to travel to Tanzania before the end of this month hence they had obtained a temporary movement passes and the sources of fund not yet established.
Allegation that the defense objected saying that the money -450,000 shillings used by the two to have their honeymoon was obtained from his father.
The matter will be mention on the 21st of June this year.
