UPDATE 5:42: A State House intruder, Luqman Ali Mahmmoud, was on Friday, June 26, released by a court after it was established that he had a mental condition and needed urgent attention.
Magistrate Daniel Ndungi sent Luqman to Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital, to establish whether he was fit to stand trial.
Ndungi has since released him to his uncle, who had requested to be allowed to take him to hospital.
“Should he dare go back to State House in a bid to secure an appointment with [the President], he will have himself to blame," the judge declared.
On Friday, June 19, a man allegedly drove through State House, Nairobi's Gate D in an attempt to seek an audience with President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Luqman Ali Mahmmoud was charged on Tuesday, June 23, at the Milimani Law Courts before Senior Principal Magistrate Kennedy Cheruiyot with creating a disturbance.
When asked why he attempted to go into State House, he stated; “I wanted to speak to President Uhuru Kenyatta on how to worship Allah."
A state prosecutor told the court that three security officers, Police Constable Duncan Orero, Police Constable Winston Abwawo and Corporal Alex Sirongo, who were manning the gate tried to stop him for inspection, but he sped past them.
The officers opened fire and shot at Mahmmoud's Volkswagen Polo's tyres in an attempt to make him stop.
“The Presidential guards were forced to puncture the tyres of the Volkswagen Polo he was driving by shooting at them when he sped past them,” the court heard.
Upon hearing the case, the magistrate asked that a mental evaluation test be conducted to establish that he was fit to stand trial.
The prosecutor directed that the suspect be sent to Mathari Hospital by Thursday, June 25, and a report be filed on Friday, June 26 when the Mahmoud would be presented in court.
The magistrate further ordered that the be remanded.
In June 2019, Statehouse Spokesperson Kanze Dena was forced to issue a statement reminding Kenyans that State House was a protected area and not open to the public.
This came after an intruder identified as Brian Bera, who was armed with a knife, tried to trespass into State House.
"No person is allowed access to the premise without the permission of the prescribed authority," she stated.
