Two men convicted of aiding the 2019 Dusit D2 Hotel terror attack in Nairobi have been sentenced to 30 years in prison each. Mohamed Abdi Ali, a 61-year-old madrassa teacher, and his 22-year-old accomplice, Hussein Mohamed Abdille Ali, were found guilty of facilitating the attack that left 21 people dead and several others seriously injured.
Justice Diana Kavedza, in delivering the judgment on Thursday, said the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) had urged the court to issue the maximum penalty, citing the devastating impact of the attack.
Mohamed Abdi Ali was sentenced to 15 years for each of 14 counts of facilitating a terrorist act. The sentences will run concurrently. He also received an additional 15 years for conspiracy to commit a terrorist offence, bringing his total jail term to 30 years.
His co-accused, Hussein Mohamed Abdille Ali, was sentenced to 15 years for conspiracy and another 15 years for facilitating a terrorist act. Unlike his co-accused, Hussein’s terms will run consecutively, also totaling 30 years.
Justice Kavedza acknowledged the enduring trauma of the attack, which occurred on January 15, 2019, when Al-Shabaab militants stormed the Dusit D2 complex in Riverside, Nairobi. The court heard harrowing testimonies, including from a survivor who still lives with bullets in his body, facing ongoing medical complications and financial distress.
American national Joseph Spindler also shared an emotional account of losing his son, Jason Spindler, during the assault. The attack significantly disrupted lives and businesses, with occupancy at the hotel dropping from full capacity to just 55 percent, and daily foot traffic plunging from 2,500 to only 200.
In her ruling, Justice Kavedza emphasized that this judgment serves as a voice for the victims—those who lost loved ones, those physically and emotionally scarred, and those whose lives and livelihoods were shattered. She praised the courage of survivors and acknowledged the extensive counter-terrorism efforts that followed the attack, which included pursuing not only the attackers but also their enablers, financiers, and logistical supporters.
