Kenya designated 13 individuals as being involved in terrorism and the financing of terrorist activities, subjecting them to targeted financial sanctions aimed at cutting off their access to the formal financial system.
The designations, announced by the Counter-Financing of Terrorism Inter-Ministerial Committee, require banks and other reporting institutions to immediately freeze the individuals’ assets and cease all financial dealings with them.
The measures prohibit the opening or maintenance of accounts, processing of transactions, or provision of any financial services to the listed persons. According to the updated domestic sanctions list published on the Financial Reporting Centre (FRC) website, the 13 individuals comprise 10 Kenyan nationals, two Tanzanians and one Ugandan.
Those named are Violet Kemunto Omwoyo, Juma Ambare, Zakariya Kamal Sufi, Jamal Abdi Mohamed, Abubakar Swalleh, Salehe Minja, Jerumani Koja, Hadija Issack Ali, Abdiweli Dege, Ramadhan Hamisi, Robert Karani, Zuena Machabe and Mohamed Siyat.
Authorities said the sanctions include asset freezes and broad prohibition measures intended to block the designated individuals from accessing or using the formal financial system to facilitate terrorism-related activities.
The government warned individuals and businesses against assisting or facilitating transactions on behalf of sanctioned persons.
It cautioned that providing financial services, holding assets on their behalf, concealing beneficial ownership, or offering commercial cover could attract serious legal consequences.
Such actions, the authorities said, may lead to investigations, seizure of assets and possible arrest under Kenya’s counter-terrorism and anti-money laundering laws. “Non-compliance with the provisions of the obligations provided in this Notice or attempts to circumvent the provisions is an offense under the POT-TFR.”
On Kemunto, the report says she is part of a cross-border facilitation network supporting Al-Shabaab operations in Somalia. She was also linked to the Dusit D2 2019 attack.
On Ambare, the report says he facilitates the procurement and delivery of military grade equipment and other operational items such as communication equipment, drone components and digital watches for the benefit and/or on behalf of al-Shabaab. His associates include Kemunto.
According to the report, Sufi facilitates the procurement of military grade equipment for the benefit and/or on behalf of al-Shabaab.
Mohamed, according to the report, is an ISIS facilitator and online recruiter based in Puntland, Somalia. He was responsible for the Latema road Improvised Explosive Device (IED) incident carried out on 26th January 2019.
He is currently responsible for financial and logistical facilitation of recruits from East African countries to Puntland, Somalia for Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) training.
The report says Swalleh is involved in the financial and logistical support to Islamic State affiliates in Eastern and Southern Africa region.
He facilitated the transfer of funds to Islamic State (IS) financial affiliates in the region.
The report says Minja is a Tanzanian national and Islamic State (IS) financial facilitator who sends funds to other IS facilitators based in Eastern and Sothern Africa regions through cryptocurrency exchanges to facilitate movement of recruits to Puntland, Somalia.
The report says Koja has funded multiple individuals within Kenya through cryptocurrency for logistical purposes in furtherance of Islamic State (IS) activities.
The report adds Khadija is a key facilitator in the Islamic State (IS) network operating in Moyale aiding recruits’ movement towards Ethiopia and onward into Somalia.
It also says Dege is is a financial facilitator, transferring funds for/on behalf of individuals linked to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) and the Islamic State (IS). The subject is reported to be facilitating the transfer of funds from Kenya to other regions within the East, Central and Southern Africa on/for the benefit of IS.
On Kufungwa, it says he operates a network responsible for recruiting and facilitating recruits to travel to Somalia to join Al-Shabaab (AS).
He facilitated and coordinated the Mpeketoni attack in 2014.
It adds Mstapha is an Al Shabaab operative. He is involved in the recruitment of informants and fighters within Boni forest. He has been involved in IED attacks targeting security installations.
Machabe is involved in the recruitment of persons to Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS). She coordinated and facilitated the movement of the recruits from the East African region to Somalia.
She operated under the direct instructions of Jamal Abdi Mohamed alias Abu Sayaf.
The report says Ali is an IS facilitator who transfers funds through crypto currency from several crypto wallets including those linked to associates of Bilal Al Sudani aka Sudani, the Deputy Commander of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) Al-Karrar office linked to Islamic State (IS) -Somalia.
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