Terror suspect sentenced to 20 years in jail for conspiracy to bomb the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).
Victor Odede Bwire was accused of conspiring with others to perform a terrorist attack at KICC in January 2019.
He was also charged with gathering information to facilitate a terrorist act.
Bwire was sentenced to ten years in jail on count one and twenty years on count two. The sentences will run concurrently.
Milimani Law Court Magistrate Bernard Ochoi delivered the verdict, stating that if the attack had been successful, the consequences would have been disastrous given the fact that KICC has a capacity of 10,000 people.
According to the pre-sentencing report, the KICC building can accommodate up to 10,000 guests at a time.
The magistrate remarked that the building houses VIPs and is an emblem and symbol in Kenya.
Victor Bwire, a cousin of Elgiva Bwire, who was sentenced to life in jail, told the court that he was deceived into the crime due to depression in order to make it in life.
He requested the court for a non-custodial sentence. Nevertheless, the prosecution told the court that Bwire and wanted suspect Mohamed Abdakla were collaborating and gathering information on KICC with the purpose of bringing the building down.
According to the charge sheet, on the said date in Umoja, Nairobi, Bwire collected and transmitted, information on the security arrangements of the KICC using his phone to the holder of a Facebook account Mohamed Yare Abdalla.
The prosecution submitted that the information was intended for use in the commission of a terror act.
