Three people arraigned in a Nyeri court on Monday in connection with the Dusit terror attack were on Friday released for lack of evidence.
Officer in charge of crime at Nyeri police station Cyprian Gitonga told the court that investigations traced no offense.
The investigation was conducted in liaison with the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit, he said.
Abdul Kibiringi, James Mwai and Habiba Hunshur were released by resident magistrate Nelly Kariuki.
Police had on Monday requested to hold the suspects for more time to allow conclusion of investigations.
Constable Newton Mwangi, from the ATPU, said investigators wanted to obtain the suspects’ call log data from telecommunication network providers. The court granted police five days.
The three were arrested on Friday last week. Mwangi said initial investigations showed the suspects had a link with others arrested over the January 15 terror attack in Nairobi.
“Police are waiting for call log data to finalise investigations,” Mwangi said.
At least 21 people were killed when terrorists stormed the Dusit hotel complex in Nairobi and opened fire. Nyeri police had arrested 15 suspects in connection with the attack.
Seven have already been charged, another three are remanded while two girls were being held at the Ruring’u Juvenile Home.
A source told the Star one suspect is a Ugandan citizen.
Police said one of those released will be taken to a rehab center under ATPU because he appeared to have been radicalised. The other two will remain under close watch.
On Wednesday, detectives raided National Transport and Safety Authority offices and arrested at least 70 NTSA employees for interrogation.
Among those arrested were two clerks and a section head of the motor vehicle registration department.
The NTAS officials were to be questioned over the registration of a car used by the terrorists during the attack. On January 16, police in Kitengela impounded a vehicle whose registration number is similar to the one used by terrorists at Dusit.
On Wednesday, NTSA director general Francis Meja said, “I have no comment for now.”
ATPU on Wednesday obtained orders to detain Augustine Musembi for 30 days. Musembi is an NTSA official suspected to have aided the vehicle registration.