KENYA: Second suspect in murder of British tourist and kidnap of his wife appears in court in Kenyan coastal resort town of Lamu

Record ID: 362149

  • Title: KENYA: Second suspect in murder of British tourist and kidnap of his wife appears in court in Kenyan coastal resort town of Lamu
  • Date: 22nd September 2011
  • Summary: LAMU, KENYA (SEPTEMBER21,2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF LAMU WATERFRONT VARIOUS OF LAMU RESIDENTS LAMU POLICE STATION SIGNBOARD LAMU POLICE STATION SIGNBOARD AND LAMU POLICE STATION EXTERIOR VARIOUS OF SUSPECT IN KIWAYU KIDNAP CASE ISSA SHEIKH SAID VARIOUS OF LAMU MARKET (SOUNDBITE) (English) LAMU RESIDENT, ZIWA ABDULLAH, SAYING: "I feel very bad. I think maybe we miss
  • Embargoed: 7th October 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Kenya, Kenya
  • Country: Kenya
  • Reuters ID: LVA6M4I7OMEDI0H7QUCHOQ4O83LM
  • Story Text: A suspect was charged in a Kenyan court on wednesday following the murder of a British tourist and the abduction of his wife at a remote beach resort near the border with lawless Somalia.
    Issa Sheikh Said is the second suspect in the Kiwayu kidnap case. He is a Kenyan of Somali origin, living in Kiunga near the Somali border. The court was expected to hear his plea today on charges of armed robbery and kidnapping.
    Unidentified gunmen raided the Kiwayu Safari Village in the early hours of September 11, shooting dead publishing executive David Tebbutt, 58, and taking hostage his wife Judith, 56, before escaping by boat.
    Somali pirates said on Sunday they were holding the kidnapped tourist.
    Kidnapping has chiefly been carried out by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean but Somali gunmen have attacked Westerners just across the border with Kenya on several occasions.
    Locals say the incidents in the area will greatly affect their income.
    "I feel very bad. I think maybe we miss people; we miss tourists, because people now they are frightened about this happening. We're feeling very bad." said Ziwa Abdullah.
    Edward Kyalo, who runs a small business selling curios to tourists was also worried about negative publicity generated.
    "I think the major impact is on tourists, on tourist attractions. I think they will have some negative hardships towards Lamu, or towards Kenya because of insecurity." said Kyalo.
    He was later moved to another region of Lamu and the case will be heard on October 25.
    On Monday September 19, Kenyan Ali Babitu Kololo was charged with robbery with violence and kidnapping with intention to murder at a magistrate's court in the northern coastal town of Lamu. Robbery with violence is a capital offence in Kenya.
    He pleaded not guilty and the case will also be heard on October 25.
    Kenyan police believe Kololo may have been in working with the attackers at Kiwayu, a luxury 18-cottage resort in a marine reserve that has a chain of islands and coral reefs.
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