Investigations into Riverside attack that claimed 21 lives took a new twist after a vehicle with registration number identical to that used by the terrorists was found in Kitengela.
Police at Kitengela suburb in Kajiado County impounded the vehicle for further investigations after it emerged that the terrorists used a car with similar number plates to commit the heinous act at the Dusit D2 hotel in Nairobi.
At least 21 people were killed while scores of others were still hospitalized in various hospitals in the capital with serious injuries after heavily armed militants invade the leafy suburb and indiscriminately sprayed patrons at the establishment with bullets.
However a multi agencies security team managed to rescue at least 700 people from the hotel and neighbouring premises more than 18 hours after the suspected Al Shabaab militants struck with explosive.
The National Transport Safety Authority had circulated details of one of the vehicle suspected to have been used by the five terror suspects prompting the owner of the car with a duplicate plate to notify the authorities.
The owner of the impounded vehicle had reportedly informed his contacts in Kenya to report to the nearest police when it emerged that his car had similar plates to those in circulation.
Kajiado county police commander, Kipkemoi Rop said the vehicle was held at the police station as investigations into the circumstances under which identical number plates were issued to two different vehicles was underway.
The light Blue car has all other details that are similar to those provided by the government, with police now carrying out investigations to establish the rightful owner and how a duplicate number plate was issued.
“We shall hold the car in our custody until the DCI completes their investigations,” said Rop.
However the vehicle at the centre of the controversy was white and was towed by the police from the scene of the attack after a team of specialist undertook a forensic examination to rid off any form of explosives the terrorists might have set to inflict pain to their target.
The latest terror attack in Nairobi has elicited a lot of debate from the members of the public on their security, as preliminary investigations into the felled terrorists indicated that some lived among us while planning the assault.
During the coordinated attack that first started at the I&M Bank at Riverside, the terrorists hauled explosives that set three vehicles in the parking lot on fire to gain entry before a suicide bomber blew himself up at the foyer of Dusit hotel where a number of guests suffered injuries.
By Nelly Kosgey
