Two jailed for 30 years over role in DusitD2 terror attack

By Newsflash Team

Two men found guilty of aiding the perpetrators of the 2019 DusitD2 hotel terror attack, which claimed 21 lives, have been sentenced to 30 years in prison each.

High Court Judge Diana Kavedza handed the sentences to Hussein Mohamed Abdille Ali and Mohamed Abdi Ali after ruling that the two played critical roles in financing and facilitating the deadly assault.

The court determined that Abdille and Ali assisted the attackers by sending money and helping them acquire false identification documents. Justice Kavedza said the two collaborated with others, including Adamu Chege and the lead attacker Ali Salim Gichunge—also known as Farouk—who were not before the court. Gichunge and four other militants were killed during a security operation to end the siege.

During the attack, a suicide bomber identified as Khalid Mahir Riziki detonated an explosive vest outside the Secret Garden Restaurant at 14 Riverside Drive. Immediately after the blast, Gichunge and other heavily armed militants opened fire on hotel guests and employees, resulting in the mass casualties.

The prosecution presented testimony from 45 witnesses, including a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent from the U.S., who outlined how the attack was planned and executed. The court heard that the attackers were in frequent contact with Al-Shabaab operatives based in Jilib, Somalia.

Digital trail and evidence of coordination

Investigations revealed that these operatives used Facebook to send instructions to the attackers. One of the accounts, listed under the name Adamu Chege, was traced back to April 2018. Analysis connected the account’s IP address to Mohamed Yare Abdallah, a known extremist previously linked to a foiled terror plot targeting the Kenyatta International Convention Centre and Parliament.

Telecommunication records, financial transactions, and witness accounts confirmed Abdille and Ali were pivotal in coordinating and funding the attack. They also provided internet access, enabling constant communication between the attackers and Al-Shabaab handlers.

One of the attackers, Siyat Omar Abdi, used forged documents arranged by Abdille to escape the Dagahaley refugee camp unnoticed. He later relocated to Muchatha, Kiambu County, where he met Gichunge. The pair rented a house to plan the operation.

Although Abdille argued that he was only 15 at the time and incapable of being involved, this defence was dismissed. Medical experts testified that he was an adult. He also denied any connection to Chege, but messages retrieved from his Facebook account showed regular contact. Justice Kavedza said the communication indicated “a degree of familiarity that could not be attributed to a one-off interaction.”

Meanwhile, Mohamed Abdi Ali, who identified himself as a money dealer from Mandera, was found to have transferred Sh836,900 to Gichunge through various mobile phone numbers, including one registered to his deceased brother. The court established that the funds were used to finance logistics, daily expenses, and the purchase of the vehicle used during the attack. The money also covered rent, groceries, and other supplies for the assailants in the months leading to the assault.