Friday, October 18, 2024 – Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho has secured
the release of three Kenyans who were arrested and sent to a Madagascar jail
for more than four months.
The three, Mbarak Awadh Mbarak
(26), Mohammed Bakari Abass (50), and Karisa Gona Nguma (32), were released
after the intervention of Joho.
The fishermen, who are now
safely back home thanks to Joho, had been arrested on July 9, 2024, while
fishing in foreign waters.
The trio were arrested alongside
five Sri Lankan nationals. They were allegedly found in possession of over five
tonnes of fresh and salted shark meat as well as 70 kilograms of shark fins, a
prized catch in illegal fishing operations.
According to Kenya Fisheries
Service Director Daniel Mungai, the Ministry faced difficulties in facilitating
their release faster after the three were arrested in foreign waters without
documents.
Acting Director General of Kenya
Maritime Agency Julius Koech also revealed that the case was in court, blocking
the Kenyan Government from intervening promptly.
While recounting the moment they
were in jail, the three narrated the ugly ordeal they underwent in the foreign
land ranging from lack of food and other basic requirements away from home.
One of the fishermen’s fathers,
however, expressed gratitude to Joho for his role in securing the
release of the three men.
Following the unfortunate
ordeal, the Kenyan Government is now looking for a better way to ensure that
Kenyan fishermen are working within the Kenyan waters and have proper
documentation.
The Kenyan DAILY POST