Two Britons who were arrested last week at a Kitale hotel have been handed over to the Anti-Terror Police Unit.
David James Smith, 33, and Daniel Richard Bradlin were arrested at Aturukan Hotel where they had stayed for two months with expired visas.
They were charged in a Kitale court and released on bond.
Speaking to the Star on Sunday, Trans Nzoia county commissioner Sam Ojwang said the two, together with their contact person Paul Wekesa, have been handed over to the ATPU.
“We arrested them and charged them with staying in the country illegally," Ojwang said.
It was established that the duo had been depositing Sh800,000 weekly into the account of Wekesa, a Trans Nzoia resident. They also bought him a Sh25 million house in Lavington, Nairobi.
“We want to establish what kind of engagement they had to the extent of buying him a house in Lavington,” Ojwang said.
He said they got a tip-off during a meeting with stakeholders on the county plan for preventing violence and extremism last week.
County commander Ayub Ali revealed that clients and workers at the hotel became suspicious of the two who seldom left the hotel.
He said they had booked a room where they were "staying and enjoying themselves without any activity".
“Staff noted that the two routinely left the hotel at 4pm and would come back in the morning,” Ali said.
He said they went to a club in the town centre and left at 2am.
They paid their bills in full.
He said they were having fun using hotel facilities, which drew suspicion.
The security team led by Ojwang’ asked residents to report any suspicious people.
During the workshop, the commissioner said the action plan will help stakeholders identify groups of people possibly linked to terrorism.
“We also want to find out reasons that could lure individuals and different groups in Trans Nzoia to join outlawed groups,” Ojwang said.
He said terrorism has moved from traditional areas of Mombasa, Nairobi and Northeastern and other urban centres.
Trans Nzoia, being a border county with porous borders, is likely to be a target for terrorists, thus, the need to be vigilant and support the government in volunteering information.
(Edited by R.Wamochie)
EDITOR'S NOTE:
We would wish to clarify that the Paul Wekesa who was arrested is not the famous tennis player and Kitale flower farmer.
