Four Kenyan students, who were arrested while fishing in Lake Victoria and detained in Uganda’s Luzira prison, have been set free after paying a fine of Ksh50,000 each.
Stephen Barasa, Joseph Sande, Derick Ouma and Polycarp Makokha were released but their colleagues Bernard Ouma and Meshack Odero will remain in prison after their families failed to raise the fine.
Barasa said he was among 12 fishermen arrested while fishing in Ugandan waters and taken to the Luzira Maximum Security Prison.
He told Nation.Africa that life in the prison, which has over 10,000 inmates, among them 92 Kenyan fishermen, was tough.
“While fishing in Lake Victoria, we found ourselves in Ugandan waters. We were arrested and taken to the Luzira prison before being charged in court with engaging in illegal fishing,” he said.
Barasa noted that they had been jailed for 18 months with the option of a Sh50,000 fine.
“The court slapped us with a fine of Ksh50,000 or serve 18 months in prison. Our colleagues whose relatives were not able to raise the fine will serve their jail terms,” he noted.
He called on the government to intervene and facilitate the freedom of their colleagues, who should be in school.
Bumbe Beach chairman Polycarp Juma said families whose relatives were jailed in Uganda had to sell property to secure their release.
“We are forced to sell the little we have to secure the freedom of our sons from Luzira Prison,” Mr Juma told Nation.Africa .
He said most of the Kenyans who were arrested by Ugandan authorities at Bumbe Beach in Funyula, Busia County, are students aged between 14 and 18.
“A 16-year-old boy was set free in Kampala but since he didn’t know where to go, he went back to the police for assistance. Instead of helping him, the police arrested him and took him back to prison,” he added.
“Most of the boys go fishing during school holidays to supplement their families’ earnings. We appeal to the government to intervene and secure the Kenyan boys’ freedom from the Uganda prison.”
