Delay Persists in Case of Somali National Accused of Identity Theft, False Registration

A superfluous delay in prosecuting the matter where an alleged Somali national is charged with obtaining registration by pretence has continued following the prosecution’s plea seeking time to review the file.

The matter has been adjourned several times, and the delay has caused the matter to remain pending in court for more than a year.

When the matter came today for mention in Kahawa court, the prosecution prayed for three more weeks for the file to be reviewed by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions ODPP and give directions.

“Your honour, I am requesting three more weeks to review the file and give directions on the way forward,” the prosecution prayed.

The Kahawa principal magistrate, Gideon Kiage, concurred with the prosecution’s application and granted three weeks for the matter to be mentioned for further directions.

The accused, Abdirizak Mohamed Hassan was charged with the offence of personation, where he is alleged to have stolen the identity card of an unsuspecting woman, Athara Abbey, and used it to secure the certificate of birth, which indicated that he is her son, a false fact.

He was further charged with obtaining registration by false pretences, where he registered an identity card using the details of an unsuspecting couple pretending to be their son.

The purported parents were Mohamed Hassan and Athara Abey Ali, the father and mother, respectively.

During Investigations into the matter, Abey, the purported mother, was interviewed and recorded her statement that “the accused person Abdirizak Mohammed is not my son nor did I know him before,” read part of the statement.

She also stated that she had only three daughters in her life, one who is deceased and lived with two in Eastleigh, thus disputing the allegations by the accused that he is her son.

The matter will be mentioned on October 22, 2025for further directions.