Two accomplices Sentenced to 30 Years for Aiding 2019 Dusit D2 Terror Attack
A Nairobi court on Thursday sentenced two suspects to 30 years in prison each for their role in the 2019 Dusit D2 terror attack that killed 21 people and left others severely injured.
Lady Justice Diana Kavedza of the Kahawa Anti-Terror Court delivered the ruling against madrassa teacher Mohamed Abdi Ali, 61, and his 22-year-old co-accused, Hussein Mohamed Abdille Ali. Both were found guilty of providing support to the Al-Shabaab-linked attackers who stormed the Dusit D2 hotel and office complex on January 15, 2019.
Ali received 15 years for each of 14 counts of facilitating a terrorist act. The terms will run concurrently. He was also sentenced to 15 years for conspiracy to commit a terrorist offense. Abdille was handed two consecutive 15-year terms one for conspiracy, and another for facilitating a terror act.
“The prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt,” Justice Kavedza ruled. She emphasized the attack’s long-lasting physical, psychological, and economic toll on victims and their families.
A victim impact report submitted by the prosecution detailed the suffering of survivors. One man still carries bullets in his body and faces ongoing medical expenses. Another account came from American national Joseph Spindler, whose son Jason died in the attack. He described the “sudden and brutal” loss of his son to terrorism.
The prosecution also highlighted the lasting impact on businesses. Before the attack, the Dusit D2 complex saw daily foot traffic of about 2,500 people and had full office occupancy. Those numbers plummeted to 200 visitors per day and 55 percent occupancy after the attack.
“What followed was one of the most extensive counter-terrorism investigations in Kenya’s history,” the court noted. Authorities targeted not only the attackers but also their local contacts, financial backers, and logistical planners.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions had urged the court to impose the harshest penalties, citing the widespread trauma and destruction caused.
In her final remarks, Justice Kavedza acknowledged the courage of the survivors and the memories of those lost.
“This judgment speaks for the survivors who deserve closure,” she said. “Kenyans remember the fear, the pain, the trauma but also the resilience of those who lived through that day.”
