Tasnim Yakub Abdullahi Farah, one of the women killed by police during an attack at Central Police Station in Mombasa on September 11, 2016. While Tasnim was intelligent, it was her charisma and charm that stood out the most. PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Police want three women suspected of hiding one of the terrorists who attacked Central Police Station in Mombasa remanded for 30 days to enable them finalize investigations.
Through an application filed at the magistrate’s court in Mombasa, they claimed that Naema Mohammed Ahmed, Saida Ali Haji and Shukri Ali Haji are connected to the offence or have information which may assist in investigations.
The women who are Somali citizens appeared in court on Tuesday but the prosecution could not argue the application to have them remanded since they do not understand English or Swahili and one of them is deaf.
According to the police, they are undertaking investigations into what course of action to take after the outcome of the investigations.
Prosecuting Counsel Eric Masila made an application to have a Somali interpreter and a sign language interpreter availed by the court.
Mombasa Resident Magistrate Emmanuel Mutunga allowed the application by Mr Masila who was ready to argue it saying it is the right of the suspects to understand court proceedings.
The magistrate said the court will avail the interpreters on Wednesday and directed the three women to be remanded at Port police station till then.
According to an affidavit filed in support of an application to have the suspects remanded for 30 days, the women were arrested on Sunday at Kibokoni after it was established that they had hosted Tasmin Yakub, one of the three terrorists who attacked the police station.
“The suspects are believed to be Al-Shabaab operatives and are currently in the country and possess refugee cards,” the affidavit by the investigating officer read in part.
The officer said the suspects rented a house at Kibokoni which is believed was being used as a safe house to Al-Shabaab and ISIS operatives within Mombasa.
He added that four mobile phones with SIM cards were recovered from the suspects and it is believed that they belong to the slain terrorist.
The investigating officer further said that the phones have been taken for analysis and that investigation are wide and complex.
The three women who were unrepresented appeared calm as they sat in the dock and did not utter a word as the prosecution made an application to have interpreters in court.
On Sunday, police officers foiled a terrorist attack on the Central Police Station when they gunned down three women terrorists.
The trio had made their way into the station under the guise of reporting the theft of a mobile phone.