Five Years in Prison for Ugandan National for Kenya Terror Hoax

By THE DISPATCH DIGITAL REPORTER

Moses Kabali, a Ugandan national, has been sentenced to five years in prison by the Kahawa Chief Magistrate Court after being found guilty of hoaxing Kenyan security officers under Section 26 of the Prevention of Terrorism Act No. 30 of 2012.

The court established that on June 30, 2024, Kabali sent an email to the Interpol General Secretariat in France, falsely reporting an imminent terrorist attack in Kenya. He claimed that two individuals, allegedly known to him, were working with other unknown terror operatives to carry out the attack using Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). This report prompted Kenyan security agencies, particularly the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU), to launch investigations.

As part of the investigations, a female suspect was initially arrested based on Kabali’s report, as her phone number had been mentioned. However, she revealed that the number, though registered under her ID card, was being used by her cousin. Authorities tracked down the cousin and arrested her in Eastleigh, Jam Street, on August 31, 2024. After further inquiries, it was determined that neither she nor her cousin had any links to terrorism or knowledge of any planned attack.

Following these revelations, authorities arrested Kabali on September 3, 2024, at the California Group of Schools in Eastleigh. A search of his residence uncovered two mobile phones, two laptops, and various documents. Forensic analysis confirmed that the email originated from Kabali’s Yahoo account.

It was later revealed that Kabali had authored and sent the email out of anger to punish his estranged wife. He was arraigned in court, and during sentencing, Hon. Gideon Kiage fined Kabali Ksh5 million or, in default, sentenced him to serve five years in prison.