BY SAM ALFAN.
Five National Transport and Safety Authority(NTSA) officials who have been in police cells over links to Dusit D2 hotel terrorist attack last month have been released by a Nairobi court.
Jacqueline Githinji (Director registration and licencing),Cosmas Ngeso (deputy), Nderitu Irving, Stephen Kariuki Mbaka and Charles Wangocho Ndungu were released from custody after the state, through prosecutor Duncan Ondimu told Senior Resident Magistrate Muthoni Nzibe that the five had no direct link to the two vehicles in question.
The five were released on condition that they should be reporting at the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) headquarters once a week starting next week Tuesday.
Lawyer Danstan Omari did not oppose the prosecution’s application to have their clients released.
“We have no objection to the state application. We want to thank the state for having exonerated my clients to this serious allegations about terrorism,” said Omari.
He also said his clients are career civil servants whose reputation and image was at stake for being linked to serious allegations of a terrorist attack.
“These are career servants whose image and reputation was at stake. This matter about terrorism has come to a close. We thank the state for acting expeditiously clearing their name,” said Omari.
The five had been arrested on January 30,2019 at NTSA Hill Park Building in Nairobi due to their possible involvement in aiding and abetting the terrorist attack that took place on diverse dates between January 15 and 16 2017 at Dusit Hotel Complex in Nairobi.
However one of the suspects, Anthony Mjaka Kadu is still being detained pending investigations.
The court was further informed there is different investigation going on in relation with other offences.
They will also reporting at ATPU headquarters on Tuesday’s.
The release of the five just comes a few days after the NTSA director and his deputy petitioned the high court seeking to have the 30 days custodial orders set aside.
Githinji, the director registration and licensing department at the NTSA wanted the orders be set aside or reviewed claiming the same as unconstitutional and violates her.
It was believed that the suspects had facilitated the reissue motor vehicle registration KCN 340E Toyota Ractis which was used by he attackers.
The said Toyota Ractis was the one allegedly used by the four gunmen to get to the Hotel on the material day.
