A Kahawa court in Kenya has sentenced Somali national Ibrahim Hussein Hassan to 115 years in prison after finding him guilty on seven charges related to terrorism and alleged membership of the militant group Al-Shabaab.

The seven charges carried separate prison terms, which together amounted to 115 years.

However, under Kenyan law, the maximum period a convicted person can effectively serve is understood to be 20 years, meaning Hassan is expected to remain in prison until around 2042, having been arrested in 2022.

The case was prosecuted by the Kenyan Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, which presented extensive evidence against Hassan during the proceedings.

Prosecutors called 10 witnesses before the court and submitted video footage recovered from the accused’s mobile phone, along with other evidence they said demonstrated his links to Al-Shabaab and involvement with weapons.

According to the prosecution, a forensic examination of Hassan’s mobile phone uncovered material associated with extremist activities.

Prosecutors told the court that the device contained videos and other content relating to recruitment, radicalization and terrorist training, which they argued supported the charges brought against him.

The prosecution also presented evidence that it said showed Hassan’s association with Al-Shabaab and the use or handling of weapons. The evidence was used by prosecutors to establish a connection between the accused and the militant organization.

After considering the evidence presented during the trial, the Kahawa court convicted Hassan on the seven charges and imposed the combined sentence of 115 years.

In addition to the prison sentence, the court ordered Hassan to undergo a deradicalization program. The measure is intended to address extremist beliefs and reduce the risk of the convicted man returning to militant activities after completing his prison term.

The case comes amid continued security concerns along the Kenya-Somalia border, where Kenyan authorities have carried out numerous counterterrorism operations targeting individuals suspected of having links to Al-Shabaab.

Kenyan security agencies have also arrested people accused of attempting to cross the border to join militant groups or return to Somalia after allegedly receiving training.

Kenya has faced repeated attacks and security threats linked to Al-Shabaab, particularly in areas near the Somalia border.

The militant group has carried out attacks inside Kenya over the years, including targeting security personnel and civilians, as well as carrying out attacks in major urban centers.

Kenyan authorities have consequently maintained heightened security operations in border counties and other areas considered vulnerable to militant infiltration.

Young people suspected of joining or supporting Al-Shabaab have been among those arrested and prosecuted under the country’s counterterrorism laws.

Hassan’s conviction and lengthy combined sentence therefore add to a growing body of terrorism-related cases being handled by Kenyan courts, particularly those involving alleged recruitment, radicalization, militant training and movement between Kenya and Somalia.

Despite the 115-year cumulative sentence, the effective period Hassan is expected to serve will be significantly shorter because of Kenya’s legal limits on imprisonment.

With his arrest dating back to 2022, the reported 20-year maximum would place his expected release around 2042, subject to applicable Kenyan laws, court decisions and any other legal considerations.