State given last adjournment in Kisenyi terror case

Sep 26, 2016

The eight Somali nationals have spent close to two years in jail

Justice Elizabeth Nahamya Ibanda has given prosecution in the trial of eight Somali nationals facing terrorism charges at the International Crimes Division of the High Court in Kampala, the last adjournment to adduce evidence against them or else court sets them free.

This was after principle state attorneys Rachael Bikhole and Marion Ben-Bella asked court for more time to make disclosure of the witness statements to the defence team.

However, defense lawyer Edgar Tabaro asked the pre-trial judge to release the accused because it seems the state has no evidence against them.

"In case the court is inclined with the state application not to release them, let it be the last adjournment" he said.

Tabaro said that his clients had spent close to two years in jail and most of them had developed illness. The case was adjourned to December 15th.

The accused are, Mahammad Abdulkadir, 32, Abdi Abdullahi, 27, Hassan Abduwali, 26, Muhammed Ahmed, 24, Yusuf Osman, 30, Abdi Muhammed, 30, Abdul Kadir, 25, and Mohammad Yusuf Farah.

Prosecution alleges that the accused and others still at large in September 2014 in various places in Uganda, Kenya and Somalia aided or rendered support to the Al Shabaab terrorist group knowing and having reason to believe that the support would be applied and used for or in connection with preparation and commission of terrorism.

It further alleges that the group also between 2010 and 2014 belonged to Al Qaeda, a terrorist group listed under the Anti-Terrorism Act 2002 of Uganda.

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