( CNN ) -- Prominent human rights activist Al-Amin Kimathi was released from custody Monday at the outset of the trial for suspects in the fatal July 2010 bombings in Kampala , Uganda . Ugandan High Court Justice Alphonse Owiny Dollo , who is presiding over the case , released Kimathi , a Kenyan , on grounds that the state had dropped charges against him . He was one of five suspects released Monday . Originally , 38 suspects were taken into custody , and that number had been trimmed to 19 before Monday . The defendants have remained jailed on charges of terrorism , murder , attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder . The twin suicide bombings occurred at a popular rugby club and an Ethiopian restaurant in the Ugandan capital where people had gathered to watch the World Cup soccer finals from South Africa in July 2010 . The explosions , just minutes apart , left 76 dead and scores injured . The terrorist group Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility , saying the attacks were in response to Uganda 's involvement with the African Union Mission in Somalia . Kimathi has drawn specific attention to the case , as human rights activists have demanded his release . Human Rights Watch had issued a statement Friday demanding the Ugandan government `` disclose any evidence it claims to have against the detained Kenyan human rights defender Al-Amin Kimathi or release him . '' The Kenyan government also had urged Uganda to send Kimathi back to Kenya to be tried . Kimathi 's lawyer Ben Cooper told CNN that Kimathi had traveled to Uganda in his capacity as a human rights activist to `` uphold law and justice '' but instead had become a victim of injustice on allegations that `` could not stand up . '' He was arrested on September 15 , 2010 , in Uganda , where he had traveled to observe court hearings of Kenyan suspects in the Kampala bombings who had been transferred to Uganda . Kimathi was charged with terrorism under Uganda 's Anti-terrorism Act , as well as murder and attempted murder , and was held in pre-trial detention for nearly a year . Kimathi 's brother Onesmus Mureithi Imanene was overjoyed , Cooper told CNN , and Imaneme felt his brother had been `` vindicated . '' Uganda says it is still under threat from extremists . Last week , the government released a fresh terror alert and reminded the public to remain vigilant at all times and report anything suspicious to police . .
Al-Amin Kimathi was released from custody at the start of the trial in Uganda . Ugandan government had dropped charges against the Kenyan rights activist . The case has been a source of tension between Kenya and Uganda, which is home to about half of Africa's The bombings took place on the eve of the World Cup soccer finals .