Imam arrested for stabbing two people in Njiru mosque row, police say

Imam arrested for stabbing two people in Njiru mosque row, police say

A senior Imam was Saturday arrested the offence of causing grievous harm to at least two people in a leadership row at a mosque in Kayole, Nairobi.

The is reported to have stabbed two people as two factions fought over management of Taqwa Mosque, located within Njiru in Nairobi.

Two groups have been embroiled in leadership wrangles at the mosque fighting for its management.

The accused person is the leader of one faction and the other faction is led by the family of Ahmed Mohamed, whose mother had donated land for construction of the mosque, police and locals said.

The family accused the man of using unscrupulous means to grab and take charge of the mosque.

Attempts to stop him were met with brutal force as the Imam brandished a knife and launched a brutal attack on Ahmed Mohamed and Edin Adan.

This happened inside the mosque just after prayers.

Witnesses said the accused man reached out to a knife that he used to attack and stab two people in the drama.

The stabbing happened after a joint security meeting between the two factions and the Njiru sub-county security committee which had resolved to have the dispute addressed by SUPKEM and Jamia Mosque.

Njiru Police Commander John Owuoth said after two minutes they got a message there was a fracas at the mosque.

He said the injured were admitted in hospital with wounds.

The accused man was later arrested pending arraignment, police said.

Police say it is not clear why and how the Imam decided to take matters in his hands after their intervention.

The Imam is also accused of having attacked and assaulted Adan Tall in a similar incident over the same matter in 2022.

The case involving him is still pending before court.

The Imam was detained in custody at Kayole Police Station awaiting court process on Tuesday.