Written by Shillah Mwadosho 2012-05-15 11:58:00 Read 515 Times

Nine foreigners of Somali origin :Awalwe Abdullahi, Sadar Hassan, Hassan Hussein Mohammed, Abdi Mohammed, Hadhar Ahmed, Bazra Nur Farah, Farah Nur Farah, Halima Mohammed and Osman Mahud. Photo I Shillah Mwadosho.

Nine foreigners of Somali origin have been sentenced to two years behind bars or pay a fine of sh.300, 000 each for being in the country unlawfully.

Kapsabet Principal Magistrate Beatrice Mosiria handed the sentence to the nine foreigners after they were found guilty of entering the country without knowledge of the immigration office contrary to Citizenship Act of 2011.

The court heard that on Saturday, May, 5 this year along Chavakali-Kapsabet road, they were intercepted by police in a van that was ferrying them from Kakamega and was heading to Nairobi.

They were then taken to Kapsabet police station where they were kept in custody as investigation went on before they  appeared in court.

Awalwe Abdullahi, Sadar Hassan, Hassan Hussein Mohammed, Abdi Mohammed, Hadhar Ahmed, Bazra Nur Farah, Farah Nur Farah, Halima Mohammed and Osman Mahud pleaded guilty to the charges.

Mosiria said that after the nine have completed their sentence or paid their fine, they would be taken to Kakuma refugee camp in Turkana district that is managed by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

She said that Uganda where the accused landed on their flight from Mogadishu before heading to the country on unclear means was in good relations with Kenya.

Mosiria said that communication should have been made to immigration office in Kenya had the nine foreigners followed a lawful procedure.

In mitigation, they jointly asked for forgiveness saying that they were fleeing their war torn Somalia and wanted to be settled in Kenya as refugees. 

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