Kampala: The Uganda high court has awarded Sh8 million to three Kenyans who were arrested and charged in over the 2010 Kampala bombings. Justice David Majanja awarded compensation to Mohamed Adan Abdow, Mohamed Hamid Suleiman and Yahya Suleiman Mbuthia over rights violation.
The three were arrested and detained in Uganda for allegedly having a hand in the bomb attacks that took place in July 2010 at the Kyandodo Rugby Club and the Ethiopian Village Restaurant. The attacks, which left 74 people dead and at least 71 injured, were allegedly carried out by the Al-Shabaab militants. The judgment was delivered on Tuesday hours before the DusitD2 hotel complex came under attack.
A total of 13 Kenyans were arrested, charged and tried alongside a Ugandan and Tanzanian in the Ugandan high court. The three were arrested in Kenya in August 2010 and were handed over to Ugandan authorities. Abdow was freed in September 2011 while Suleiman and Yahya were acquitted after the Director of Public Prosecution entered a nolle prosequi in May 2015.
The trio had sued the ministries of Internal Security and Foreign Affairs, the commissioner of police and the Attorney-General. "I declare that the entry into the premises of the petitioners by the Kenya police and searches upon their persons as well as houses was arbitrary and unconstitutional," said Justice Majanja. While the judge awarded the trio a total of seven million shillings as compensation, he further gave Sh 500,000 to Suleiman and Yahya.
