A Mombasa businessman was arrested on Wednesday by unknown people suspected to be officers from the Anti-Terror Police Unit (ATPU) officers.
Abdulhakim Salim Sagar, 40, was returning home from a mosque at around 6pm when he was grabbed by unknown people in Kuze, Old Town, his brother told the Nation.
“He was heading to his house, which is near the mosque he attends. A group of seven people who identified themselves as officers confronted him and placed him in a Toyota Hilux double-cabin truck before driving him away,” Faris Sagar said.
The father of three is said to have been in the company of two of his children when he was taken.
Mr Sagar said his brother had received several threats.
“He was being followed by unknown people for months. They were driving a Toyota Probox,” he said.
Nation.africa has learnt that Mr Salim has an ongoing terrorism-related case at a court in Shanzu, Mombasa, that started in 2018.
“He has never skipped any case. I am shocked by the way they arrested my brother in front of his wife and children,” Mr Sagar said.
The family’s lawyer, Mbugua Mureithi, said Mr Salim was charged with possessing terror-related materials on his mobile phone.
“We demand those who have taken him to bring him before the court. He has been cooperating with the officers. Even when he was asked to appear at the ATPU offices in Mombasa he did,” he said.
Mr Mureithi noted that Mr Salim had reported to the ATPU offices once every month since 2018.
He was first taken into custody in 2018, following the arrest of his employee.
Image: COURTESY
“In 2018, two men were arrested in the Liboi area, one of whom confirmed to be working for Mr Salim as a gas supplier. Later, the officers arrested him (Mr Salim) and we have been following up on the case since then,” said Mr Mureithi.
He added that only the investigative officer was remaining to take the stand.
Mr Salim’s other brother, Mohammed Sagar, told the Nation that his brother runs a cyber-business in Old Town, Mombasa.
“My brother was charged but the other two were released due to lack of evidence. But a few months later, the two went missing. No one knows where they are,” Mr Mohammed said.
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