Varsity terror attack convicts to know their fate today

The High Court is today expected to deliver judgment in the Garissa University terrorist attack case where two of the suspects found guilty of the offence in 2019 appealed their conviction.

Hassan Edin Hassan and Mohammed Abdi Abikar were on July 3, 2019 sentenced to serve 41 years for their role in the attack which claimed148 lives in the university.

Rashid Mberesero, who had been sentenced to life imprisonment, committed suicide while in prison.

High Court Judge Cecelia Githua will deliver the judgment after she heard submissions from the State and the defense counsels.

The Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) had, during the hearing of the appeal in July 2022, urged the High Court to uphold their conviction and sentencing saying it was appropriate given their heinous acts.

The lower court, while sentencing the three in 2019, had noted that most of the evidence linking the three to the scene of crime was based on phone call analysis and items that were recovered.

He noted that Mberesero was found in a hostel under the bed when the attack occurred and he could not explain what he was doing at the university as he was not a student there.

According to the Magistrate, this showed he was part of the group that attacked the university and in fact was the one who led them there.

“It was most probable that the accused had learned about the ground well and led the attackers to the scene,” Andayi had ruled.