Four ‘al Shabaab brides’ freed on Sh500,000 bond each

Khadija Abdulkadir, Maryam Aboud, Ummulkhayr Abdulla and Halima Ali in court yesterday, they denied being members of Al shabaab. /MKAMBURI MWAWASI

Four women accused of being al Shabaab members were granted Sh500,000 bond each on Thursday after being in custody for nearly two years.

Ummulkhayr Sadri, Maryam Said, Khadija Abubakar and Halima Adan were released after the prosecution failed to give sufficient reasons against their release.

The accused faced 20 terror related charges, including supporting the execution of terror activities in the country.

Principal magistrate Henry Nyakweba said he released them on bond terms approved by the High Court in an earlier case.

The women were charged afresh after new information arose from a review of the investigations report.

The office of the Director of Public Prosecution moved to the High Court seeking orders to quash the bail.

But Justice Dora Chepkwony dismissed the prosecution’s application.

“Judge Chepkowny was alive to the Anti-terrorism Act and confirmed their release. Therefore, it is my duty to do the same,” said Nyakweba.

He further stated that it was mischievous of the prosecution to have charged the accused with the same counts but in different suits.

He said the “sinister move” was aimed at denying them their constitutional right to bail.

The women were ordered to appear before the court once every month and give all their travel documents to the investigating officer.

Prosecutor Yamina Jami did not seek orders against their release.

The case will be mentioned on January 31.

Read: Radicalised women attacks in new clothing

Source:The Star