Posted
Sunday, September 18
2011 at
21:28
The prime suspect in the abduction of a tourist two weeks ago at a hotel in Lamu County will appear in court on Monday.
Mr Ali Babitu Kololo, 25, will be charged with the abduction of Mrs Judith Tebbutt at Kiwayu Safari Village.
“He will be charged after the conclusion of two-week long investigations,” Lamu OCPD Samson ole Kinne told the Nation.
The
suspect, who worked at the resort, is being accused of coordinating the
kidnapping of the British national and killing her husband David
Tebbutt. (READ: Seized Briton ‘seen’ on Somalia island)
A second suspect, arrested last Wednesday in Kiunga, is still being questioned.
Hotel owners in Lamu, however, said the killing had not affected tourism in the island since Kiwayu was 70km away.
Area safe
“Following the incident at Kiwayu Safari Village, we
wish to state that Lamu is not affected. We are 70km south of Kiwayu,
which is 125km from the Somali border and we do not consider Lamu
vulnerable to such incidents,” said Mr Pierre Oberson, proprietor of
Kijani Hotel in a statement.
A the same time, abductors
of Mrs Tebbutt who was reportedly spotted at an island near Somalia,
are yet to demand ransom for her.
Seafarers Assistance
Programme coordinator Andrew Mwangura said her captors were expected to
demand a ransom but had gone quite after relocating her five days ago.
“There
were reports that they were to release her video this weekend but we
are yet to hear from them,” Mr Mwangura, who is also Somalia Report
maritime editor, said.
He also allayed fears that the
abducted British citizen might have been trapped between fierce battle
pitting Somalia security forces against al Shabaab around Kismayu area.
“We
are told that she is being held far away from the area where there are
reports of heavy fighting in Kismayu and its environs,” he stressed.
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