Garissa university terror attack suspect suffers mental breakdown in prison

A Tanzanian charged in connection with the 2015 Garissa University College terrorist attack in which 149 people were killed has suffered a mental breakdown in prison.

Rashid Charles Mberesero was declared unfit to stand trial after a report from a psychiatrist stated that he had been on treatment for "bizarre behaviour" at the Kamiti Maximum Security Prison.

He is charged alongside Mohamed Ali Abdikar, Hassan Aden Hassan, Sahal Diriye, Osman Abdi. They have denied 162 counts of terrorism.

On Wednesday, the prosecution sought time to consult on how to proceed with the case against his alleged Kenyan accomplices.

A mental examination report filed at the trial court in Nairobi stated that "he was given his last monthly injection on September 12".

"He reports abnormal experiences, he believes that people around him have evil intentions," Dr Mucheru Wang'ombe writes in the report.

The doctor stated that the suspect requires continuous medication and frequent evaluations of his mental status.

"The report says that the fifth accused person be treated at Mathare Hospital every month, [and] as such, he is not in a position to stand trial and in the circumstances we need time to consult," prosecutor Eddie Kadebe said.

Mr Mberesero sold second-hand clothes in Garissa before his arrest following the attack on April 2 last year.

In earlier proceedings, a prosecution witness said Mr Mberesero was seen at a mosque in Garissa where he left his traveling bag, which was later collected and presented in court as an exhibit.

The suspect was arrested while hiding under a bed at the university and had initially told detectives that he was a student at the campus but later failed to give an account on how he found himself at the institution on the morning of the attack.

He is also charged with being in Kenya illegally as he had no documents allowing him to stay in the country at the time of his arrest.

The case will be mentioned on October 21.