4 Kenyans renditioned to Uganda

In the aftermath of the twin bombings in Kampala Uganda on the 11th July 2010 the nightmarish scenario of renditions had made its return to Kenya with Kenyan citizens being renditioned to Uganda where they have been charged with 79 counts of murder and 10 counts of murder each as well as other terrorism related offences.

There are 4 confirmed cases of renditions so far of individuals who were arrested in Kenya but have ended up being renditioned to Uganda. There are as many as 10 Kenyans charged in the bombings though only 4 of them are known to have been arrested in Kenya though this number could increase as the case proceeds.

The four who are known to have been renditioned from Kenya are Idriss Magondu 42, Hussein Hassan Agade 27, Mohamed Adan abdow 25 and Mohamed Hamid Suleiman 37.

They were all arrested on diverse dates in various locations in Kenya and have now all ended up being charged in Uganda without any sort of extradition proceedings or even evidence of any formal request from the Ugandan Government for their extradition. Indeed this is the height of impunity whereby citizens of one state are simply handed over to another in violation of the Kenyan Constitution, the Ugandan Constitution and international human rights laws, treaties and statutes. This is especially bearing in mind that Uganda is a country whereby capital punishment is still provided for and practiced.

Relatives of 3 of the individuals have filed habeas corpus applications and the outcome of these applications is anxiously awaited. It is hoped that the rule of law will be upheld and that the courts will provide them with redress. However in the meantime they remain in custody in a foreign land in which some of them had never ever set foot in until they were renditioned there.

This has brought to mind the painful renditions of the year 2007 when Kenyans were renditioned to Ethiopia though they eventually came back after a long protracted struggle between the Muslim community in Kenya and the Kenyan Government.

The families of all the four individuals are certain of their innocence and they were all in Kenya on the day the attacks took place in Uganda so it’s a wonder and a shock to them that they have been charged with the bombings. The four were arrested on diverse dates between 22nd July and 13th August 25, 2010 in diverse locations in Kenya by the Anti- Terrorism Police Unit before being handed over to Uganda.

They were all charged on 17th August 27, 2010 at the Nakawa court in Kampala together with 28 others including 7 Kenyans, 13 Ugandans, 6 Somalis, 1 Rwandese and 1 Pakistani National.