Cry for help as fishermen robbed of boat engines, fishing gear in Lake Victoria
Fishing boats dock at Litare Beach in Rusinga Island in Homa Bay County. Fishermen at the beach say they were robbed of their fishing gear and mobile phones by criminals armed with machetes in Lake Victoria.
Four fishermen from Litare Beach in Rusinga Island have reported being robbed of their fishing gear and mobile phones by suspected criminals armed with machetes posing as fishermen in Lake Victoria.
Litare Beach Management Unit (BMU) chairman Isaiah Ochieng’ said the fishermen were attacked while on a fishing expedition.
He reported that they were robbed of an engine from one of the boats worth Sh250,000, fishing nets worth Sh60,000 and two mobile phones worth Sh42,000.
After the robbery, the fishermen ran into a second group of suspected criminals who again robbed them of an engine from another boat and mobile phones.
"The fishermen had just got to a point in the lake where they were preparing to cast their nets when they were confronted by armed criminals who asked them to surrender all their valuables,” Mr Ochieng said.
The fishermen have since reported the Friday incident to officers from the Kenya Coast Guard Services (KCGS) investigations.
According to the BMU leader, the suspects confronted the fishermen and threatened to kill them if they failed to cooperate.
“The fishermen were told to surrender all they had. They were instructed to lie on the floor of their boats as they were being robbed," Mr Ochieng said.
After their nets had been seized, the coxswain of the boat was ordered to dismantle the engine of the boat and surrender it to the robbers.
The affected fishermen reported that the criminals told them not to look at them as they were leaving.
Another team of fishermen later rescued their colleagues who were stranded in the lake.
Mr Ochieng called on the government to deploy more security officers in the lake to protect fishermen from suspected robbers.
KCGS Officer in Charge of Mbita George Obel said the case was being investigated.
He said KCGS officials had got in touch with their counterparts in Busia County to trace the stolen fishing gear and the two boat engines.
“We believe the assailants came from Busia. Our team from there are looking for the stolen items," Mr Obel said.
Fishermen from different beaches in the lake have reported being robbed by armed criminals while out in the lake on fishing expeditions at night.
The reported incidents dating back to 2021 with the fishermen falling victim to the robbers who seize the catch and other valuables before fleeing in their boats.
