By Peter John
A 56-year-old woman from Jomvu, Mombasa, has been charged with two terrorism-related offences after prosecutors alleged she received funds traced to an Islamic State (IS) financial network.
Mariam Ali Abdalla appeared before a Nairobi court to answer charges under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, with investigators claiming she received Ksh 1,922 through a mobile phone number registered in her name.
The money is believed to have been transferred from a Binance cryptocurrency account said to be operated by the Islamic State East Africa Cell.
According to the prosecution, Mariam is alleged to have knowingly dealt with property linked to a terrorist organization.
The two charges she faces include collecting property for the commission of terrorist acts and handling funds belonging to or controlled by a terrorist group.
Prosecutors argued that even though the amount involved was small, it formed part of a wider financial network used by extremist cells to move money discreetly.
They stated that the transaction raised red flags during routine monitoring of suspicious financial activity, prompting an investigation that eventually led to her arrest.
Mariam denied the allegations when she appeared in court.
Details regarding her bail application and the next steps in the case are expected to be addressed in subsequent proceedings.
The Prevention of Terrorism Act imposes severe penalties on individuals found guilty of facilitating, funding, or supporting terrorism activities.
The case underscores the growing scrutiny of digital and mobile money transactions as authorities ramp up efforts to disrupt extremist financing channels in Kenya and across the region.
