German national who is the prime suspect in an alleged impending terror threat in Mombasa was arrested on Monday, September 20.
According to Anti-Terror Police Unit (ATPU) Hans –Dieter Wilhelm Schwing believed to be orchestrating a terror attack gained access to Mombasa through Moi International Airport.
“The applicant (ATPU) received intelligence report that the respondent was facilitating foreigners (some who are said to be involved in terror activities) to access the country illegally,” an Atpu officer said through the office of the DPP.
The DPP through state Counsel Nyawinda Oyugi further informed Mombasa senior resident magistrate Rita Amwayi that Schwing is believed to be supporting an undisclosed terror organization.
In his sworn affidavit tabled before the court, ATPU officer Dickson Ndaru informed the court that the foreigner is the director of Scout logic.com, a company that has been packaged as a travel agency to aid European citizens to access Kenya for undisclosed business.
“Iñvestigations have revealed that the respondent works in an elaborate syndicate with his associates based in Kenya and Europe,” Oyugi noted.
The DPP informed the court that, police required more time to do investigations and verify Schwing’s documents who is said to be in the country illegally.
In the application, they asked the court to detain the suspect for 10 more days to avoid the foreigner from jeopardizing those investigations.
Schwing through his lawyer Kyalo Matata has dismissed the terror link as mere allegations.
He said that Schwing was not a flight risk since he has a Kenyan girlfriend and the two have a six-week-old infant.
However, the court declined to issue orders to detain the suspects for ten-day with the magistrate saying that no adequate material was placed before the court.
“ No adequate material has been placed before me to convince the court to issue a directive to have the respondent detained for ten days, It is evident that Schwing’s travel documents are with the police, and he has been cooperating with the police. Two days are enough to finalise investigations,” magistrate Ms Amwayi ruled.
The magistrate further directed that the foreigner be produced before the court on Thursday without fail.
