Writes Leo Odera Omolo
A Kenyan national who couriered the bombs used in the July 11 explosions that claimed 79 lives, booked into a hotel in Namasuba, a city suburb, months before the blasts.
Security sources yesterday said the Kenyan checked in on May 9 with the aid of Issa Luyima, a Ugandan national said to be the chief architect of the twin blasts.
Consequently, a joint team of anti-terror operatives raided the hotel on Thursday afternoon. Security sources yesterday intimated that the operatives had gathered more evidence to reinforce their case.
They seized vital documents and a counter book in which Luyima is said to have booked the Kenyan national into the hotel on that day.
“The seizure was useful, especially the counter book in which Luyima booked the Kenyan in his own hand writing,” the source said.
The source added that the evidence would reinforce the case against Luyima and his younger brother Haruna Hassan Luyima and other accomplices for their role in the blasts.
Sources said the terrorists could have picked on the hotel because it is secluded, giving them an assured from page one
of secrecy. It is not clear how many nights the Kenyan spent in the hotel but it is becoming increasingly clear that he checked into the hotel with the explosives before handing them over to other accomplices, a source said.
Security agents on Thursday paraded four suspects, the Luyima brothers, Edris Nsubuga and Mohamood Mugisha, in connection to the blasts.
There are 81 suspects in total, being held in connection with the attack linked to international terrorist cells of the Al-Qaeda and the Al-Shabaab.
Preparations were in high gear yesterday to have the four suspects arraigned with 14 others on charges of terrorism, sources said.
In a related development, three Kenyans charged two weeks ago over the bombs, have been removed from Luzira Prison and handed over to the Police for further investigations.
Hussein Hassan Agad, Mohamed Adan Abdow and Idris Magondu a.k.a Christopher were the first suspects to be charged. “I order the release of the three suspects into custody of the Police to enable them conclude their investigations,” Nakawa Chief Magistrate Deo Ssejjemba directed yesterday.
A letter signed by Joan Magezi, the senior principal attorney said the Police needed the suspects to identify exhibits. They face charges of murder, attempted murder, and terrorism and could face death if convicted.
Meanwhile the father of two the bomb suspects, Hajji Nondo Luyima, has said his children refused to go to school when they were young but had become prosperous businessmen.
Luyima said he did not know where Haruna Luyima and Isa Luyima got the money to become prominent in business until they were arrested over the bombs.
The two on Thursday asked Ugandans to forgive them for bombing world cup fans.
Their father said they had been living in Kenya where they claimed to have several businesses. The two were arrested by Kenyan authorities.
Luyima, a resident of Kawempe, said he has over 30 children.
“I failed to control those two when they were young.” Their elder sister, Sumaya Namigadde, said clan elders had queried the two brothers’ source of wealth. “They came home recently driving powerful vehicles and the clan members were concerned but they refused to explain.”
Suspects in custody
1.Abdul Karim Kato
2.Mariam Namaku
3.Isa Ali Senkumba
4.Peter Ntale
5.Fazila Namaku
6.Hussein Aliyowi Abdi
7.Andrew Obelai
8.Andrew Kanyoro
9.Muhammad Keche
10.Hassan Abdu Isaac
11.Echeku Vincent
12.Isaac Gedi Godana
13.Muzamiru Kawumbire
14.Gulfan Zameer
15.Ramula Nagudi
16.Inam Ul Haq
17.L/Cpl Koss Alfrred
18.Shakeel Ur Rehman Qureshi
19.Abdullahi Muhamod Ahmed
20.Waseem Afzal
21.Saidi Sulaiman
22.Muhammed Abdul Aziz
23.Abdul Aziz Ali Madope Aka
24.Ali- Ibrahim
25.Kaala Isaac
26.Inayatula Ullah
27.Muhammad Abdallah
28.Salat Ahmed Alasom
29.Omar Jimale
30.Bile Abdullah
31.Waris Mungayi
32.Kavuma Ibrahim
33.Kanyoro Andrew
34.Abushiri Yusuf Muhammed
35.Jairan Karim
36.Biraze Ku 2
37.Mubaraka Juma Dawa
38.Yunus Maganda
39.Obina Ismail
40.Medi Abdallah Saleh
41.Yusuf Balimuntale
42.Hassan Kasim Salah
43.Ahmed Hassan Barkhadle
44.Abdullahi Muhamoud Ismail
45.Muhamed Abdullahi
46.Bashir Abdul Khadir Medle
47.Abdullahi Omar Guleed alias Mutuyangu
48.Kasaya Patrick
49.Mulinde Robert
50.Fahdi Abdul Rahman
51.Muhammad Adam
52.Muhammod Musa Fara
53.Liban Muhammad Ali
54.Daudi Ibrahim Hassan
55.Abdi Hassan Ismail
56.Rihan Muhammad
57.Md Aka Muhammad Kasim
58.Ahmed Abdulah Muhammed
59.Ahmed Abdulah Muhammed
60.Magumba Abdul Hakim
61.Hassan Muhammad Abou
62.Jackson Omolo
63.Naufal Zamir Shiekh
64.Baturaine Christopher
65.Ali Yahya Hussein
66.Anthony Kiarie
67.Moses Mwenda Meme
68.Nangayi Keneth
69.Isaac Kibede
70.Manga Mubarak Salim
71.Muhammad Ahsan Raza
72.Abdallahi Hussein Ali
Ends