Blasts probe nearly complete

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 25 - Police now say they are in their final stages of positively identifying suspects who are under investigation over the Uhuru Park blasts that left six people dead and another 104 wounded a fortnight ago.

Police Spokesman Erick Kiraithe said officers investigating the case were “making very good progress” and were now focused on the “proper and positive identification process.”

Although he confirmed that there were suspects being interrogated, the Police Spokesman did not disclose the exact number of suspects in police custody only saying “significant progress has been made in this direction from the analysis of exhibits and footages supplied by the media”

“The investigation is at a critical stage, what is required is proper and positive identification of suspects for successful prosecution.”

Last week, Capital News authoritatively established that three suspects had been arrested over the blasts after detectives traced one of them via mobile phone data.

In addition to the three, two more suspects, including one arrested in Isiolo and charged with double registration as a Kenyan earlier in the week were also being interrogated over the blasts, sources said.

Police sources familiar with the progress of the investigation so far, told Capital News the suspects were in the custody of the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) which is spearheading the investigations.

On Friday Mr Kiraithe told a news conference that investigators would largely rely on eye witnesses to identify the suspects who are in custody.

“So far, several members of the public have offered useful information,” he said and urged worshippers who may have witnessed or were close to the site where the explosion occurred to liaise with the police.

“Investigators have interviewed and recorded statements from 142 witnesses,” Mr Kiraithe told journalists.

Detectives from the bomb disposal unit, ATPU and others from the Flying Squad Unit have been analysing exhibits collected from the scene as they in order to compile sufficient evidence which can sustain charges against suspects in court.

“Fragments were collected from the scene and they are now undergoing forensic analysis at the CID bomb disposal squad laboratory,” Mr Kiraithe said without elaborating.

They included shrapnel’s collected at the scene and those found in the bodies of people who were killed or injured in the attack.

Two grenades ripped through a church crusade at Uhuru Park more than a fortnight ago, causing panic in the country as it occurred at height of the campaigns for the Constitution referendum due to be held on August 4.

The crusade was convened by televangelists and renowned church leaders who are rallying for their followers to reject the proposed Constitution. Dozens of political leaders spearheading the No campaign were also present.