A Kenyan court has sentenced two individuals affiliated with the Al-Shabaab militant group to 30 years in prison each, following their conviction for terrorism-related offences stemming from a 2019 deadly ambush on security forces in Dadaab.
Delivering the ruling at the Garissa Law Courts, Hon. Justice J. Omwange found Farah Ahmed Sambul, also known as Faragon, and Minaj Hassan Khalid, alias Daar, guilty of committing a terrorist act under Section 4(2) of the Prevention of Terrorism Act, as well as membership in a terrorist group in violation of Section 24.
According to court proceedings, the two convicts—described as highly trained sharpshooters—were behind a fatal IED attack that targeted a Land Rover transporting uniformed officers in Dadaab sub-county.
The explosion was followed by a gun ambush that left multiple officers dead. The assault occurred roughly 15 kilometres from the site where the two were later captured near Dobley, Somalia.
Their arrest on 22nd October 2019 yielded a cache of weapons, including three AK-47 rifles, a pistol, 287 rounds of ammunition, and a black flag bearing jihadist insignia. Forensic testing confirmed the recovered firearms matched those used in the Dadaab attack.
In his judgment, Justice Omwange emphasised the weight of the evidence, citing the suspects’ possession of terrorist paraphernalia and their proximity to the crime scene. “The facts and circumstances leave no doubt as to their involvement,” he stated.
The prosecution was led by Edsan Papai under the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP). This case marks the second major terrorism conviction within a week, following a similar 30-year sentencing handed down by the Kahawa Anti-Terror Court on 19th June.
Authorities have hailed the conviction as a win in Kenya’s ongoing fight against violent extremism.
