Monday, July 02, 2007
They said they had crossed into Kenya after fleeing on foot from Somalia's capital Mogadishu, following heavy fighting.
North Coast immigration officer Fred Ogoto said the foreigners were arrested around Minjila in Garsen last week as they waited to board a bus to Mombasa.
They were handed over to Malindi police who locked them up until Friday when they were charged in a local court with illegal stay in Kenya.
Senior principal magistrate Joshua Kiarie fined them Sh20,000 each or six months imprisonment.
Mr Ogeto said 17 of them promptly paid the fine while one failed to do so. He was taken to Mtangani GK prison to serve a six-months sentence.
"Our department transported the 17 to Mombasa for further transportation to UNHCR offices who will take them to a refugee camp," said Mr Ogoto.
He said the problem of infiltration of aliens had increased in Malindi district due to political instability in the neighbouring Somalia.
"Somalis fleeing from their war-torn country come here in large numbers. This is a big problem in Malindi and indeed the whole country," he said. Various militia groups have been fighting in the Horn of Africa country over control of Mogadishu as leaders call for deployment of a peace-keeping force.
Source: Daily Nation, July 02, 2007