NAIROBI (Halbeeg News) – The government of Kenya is expected to file an appeal against the acquittal of suspected Al-Shabaab sympathiser who was released last Friday.
Hania Sagar was sentenced to 10 years in jail for conspiracy to commit a terrorist attack early this year but was released on Friday after her appeal against the verdict went successfully.
Kenyan government through the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions announced that it will lodge a retrial against a ruling to free Ms. Sagar by Kenyan High Court Judge.
In a statement by Kentan State counsel, Ngina Mutua asked the court to detain Ms. Sagar as the government prepares to submit the notice and application at the Court of Appeal.
Mutua underlined the government was not satisfied with the ruling, saying the government’s evidence against Ms. Sagar was watertight.
“I have received instructions to apply for stay orders as we are contemplating challenging the decision that has been made regarding the matter at the Court of Appeal,” she said.
The remarks of the government come barely two days after High Court Judge Dorah Chepkwony dropped the sentence previously reached by a magistrate court.
The court ordered that Ms. Sagar released from the prison where she had been serving her sentence
“The trial court should have proceeded to acquit the appellant after acquitting three other suspects who were charged with the similar offence.
“I conclude…the conviction is hereby quashed and sentence set aside, the appellant is at liberty forthwith unless lawfully held,” Ms. Chepkwony ruled, adding that the evidence against her was insufficient.
Ms. Hania Sagar is the widow of slain Muslim cleric Aboud Rogo Mohamed who assassinated late 2012.
Late Mohamed was placed on a US sanctions list in July the same year for allegedly “engaging in acts that directly or indirectly threaten the peace, security or stability of Somalia”, specifically for recruiting and fundraising for Al-Shabaab.
The United Nations Security Council placed a travel ban and asset freeze on the cleric in 2012, saying he had provided “financial, material, logistical or technical support to Al-Shabaab”.
He was also accused to be the “main ideological leader” of Kenya’s Al Hijra group, also known as the Muslim Youth Center (MYC), according to the UN.
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