Somali politician arrested in Kenya for forging ID card

MANDERA, Kenya - A regional legislator from Jubaland state will have to spend the second night in Mandera Police Station, authorities have confirmed, hours after he was arrested for being in possession of a forged national Identify Card for the Republic of Kenya.

Yussuf Mohamed Gurhan, who serves in Jubaland regional assembly, was arrested on Monday at a checkpoint the time security officers have been mobilized to regulate movements along the Kenya-Somalia border, which Al-Shabaab militants have been taking advantage of lately.

Sources say the local legislator will be charged for obtaining a Kenyan ID card through false pretense, something which could as well put immigration officials in trouble. He had registered in Garissa County over 16 years ago, a police report shows.

"In the year 2006, you presented yourself as a Kenyan to the registrar of persons Ruqa division in Ijara Sub-county of Garissa county and willfully procured a Kenyan identity card bearing the names Yussuf Mohamed Gurhan a fact you knew to be a false" read part of the charge sheet.

The head of the directorate of investigations Gitari Muchira said although Somalia's Belet Hawa administration has requested for the release of the legislator, he will be arraigned in court tomorrow, the Standard reports.

“We have received a letter from the DC in Belet Hawa asking for the release of the suspect whom he said is an MP in Jubaland state on the grounds of diplomacy,” said the CIO.

The state officer will also face charges such as getting into the country through a border point that has not been designated. Official border entry points include Mandera-Bula Hawo, Liboi-Dhoblely, and Kiunga-Ras Kamboni, but have remained closed due to insecurity.

"...........You were found having entered Kenya through border point four which is not a designated point of entry or exit" read part of the charge sheet.

According to a source, a contingent of KDF camped at Mandera Law Court in the morning on a tip off the suspect would be arraigned. Reports indicate that there were plans to rescue him and return the officer to his home country unharmed.

Noor Abdow the chairman of the Human Rights network asked the government to take seriously the insecurity that comes with the presence of Somali nationals in the country.

"The KDF soldiers came with machine guns mounted on a land cruiser and a lorry full of soldiers inside the court compound causing fear to the citizens seeking services at the court,” said the official.

GAROWE ONLINE