This archive report was first published on 22 September 2021.
On September 17, 2021, Abdikadir Elmi Robleh, a Nairobi-based businessman, was arrested in connection with terrorism links. He appeared before Kahawa Law Court Senior Principal Magistrate Boaz Ombewa on Monday, September 20, 2021, under a miscellaneous application by detectives.
According to an affidavit sworn by Sergeant Cyrus Ikade from the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit, the officers arrested the suspect in Pangani area of Nairobi and detained him in connection with terror activities within the country. During the arrest, the suspect was found with four Somali passports, Sim cards, and mobile phones, which are yet to be fully investigated and forensic examination conducted.
Ikade's affidavit also revealed that a brief investigation by police showed that the respondent had been in constant communication with Al Shabaab cells based in Dhobley, Somalia. Additionally, the respondent was found to be the director of two schools in Eastleigh, Nadir Integrated Academy and Amud Secondary School, which are believed to be illegally offering education and not registered by the Ministry of Education.
Robleh's lawyers, Samson Nyamberi and Abdul Hakim, opposed the application to detain him for five days, stating that his client had been in the country since 2014 after being cleared by the immigration department and had a valid work permit.
However, in his ruling, Ombewa said he was satisfied with police submissions that the suspect having more than one nationality and based on the alleged offenses facing him was a flight risk and could flee the country. The matter will be mentioned on Friday, September 24, 2021.
