Illegal immigrants arraigned before Eldoret court

Some of the illegal immigrants that were arrested over Easter Holidays arraigned before the Eldoret Law Court Tuesday. Most of them were charged with living outside the designated areas. [PHOTO: PETER OCHIENG/ STANDARD]

BY MICHAEL OLLINGA

UASIN GISHU COUNTY: Nine people of Somali origin were Tuesday arraigned in the Eldoret law Courts for being in Kenya illegally and operating within undesignated areas without permission from immigration authorities.

The illegal immigrants were arrested over the Easter holiday by police under the leadership of Eldoret West OCPD Smollets Munyianzi who are conducting an operation to flush out illegal immigrants in a move to enhance security.

Senior Resident Magistrate Caroline Wattimah had a difficult time to attain silence in court as small kids accompanying the accused persons sticking to their playful manner oblivious of what was facing their parents.

Among individuals before the court was Ibrahim Farah who was charged with being in the country illegally as he did not have the preferred visa or entry person.

Farah who was arrested in Eldoret entered a plea of not guilty for the charges before the court and was released on a bond of sh 400,000 with same surety amount. The case will be heard on May 8th before the same court.

Sadia Abdullahi who was arrested in Eldoret town and faced charges similar to Farah defended herself on grounds that she is a minor and was in company of family members.

John Nyandoro Counsel for the defendants asked the court to allow his client Abdullahi who said she was 17 years old to go for age assessment before a verdict is issued. She will be returned to court on Friday 25th.

Elmi Amran Abdi was charged for being outside the designated area since she was registered only as a refugee at Kakuma Camp and is only expected to operate outside the zone with permission from the immigration authority.

Abdi registered as refugee number 529620 at Kakuma pleaded guilty to the charges of flouting laws that protect her presence in the country as an asylum seeker.

“I had come from the camp to seek treatment for my small child, I beg the court to forgive me as I did not understand the consequences,” she told the magistrate through a Somali translator Corporal Abdullahi Karim.

She was fined Shs5000 or to serve two months in jail and thereafter to be taken back to the refugee camp after complying with either of the sentence terms.

Ms Ali Ayan Hassan refugee number 559986, Ms Farah Hawa Hashi 538188, Ms Mohammed Ali Nehema 556727, Ms Abdullahi Ibrahim Hassan 550902, Ms Shukri Abdikhadir were also charged with operating outside the designated areas for asylum seekers.

They pleaded guilty to the offenses and their Counsel Mr John Nyandoro asked the court for leniency saying that his clients were remorseful and had children to take care of and no stable source of income.

 

However, Shukri who was defended by Nyandoro as being a single mother with more than two children to take care of and completely without a source income, astounded the magistrate stunned the court when she said that she is paying sh 10,000 rent for her Mwanzo Estate residence in Eldoret.

Ms Wattimah also sentenced them to two months in jail or alternatively pay sh 5000 fine and thereafter be taked back to Kakuma refugee camp after compliance with the issued verdict terms.

Ms Anub Noor who was charged with being in Kenya illegally and wasn’t registered as a refugee was forced to wait longer for the determination of her case after she pleaded guilty.

Counsel Nyandoro told the court that Noor had recently arrived in the country and was in the process of going to a refugee camp to register as an asylum seeker with her two children. He asked the court to forgive her and allow her to register in a refugee camp.

Ms Wattimah however said that she could not determine the matter due to high penalties that it can attract and referred it to the Senior Principal Magistrate’s (SPRs) court for a verdict.

“Basing on the security situation in the country, this offense’s magnitude is high and I will have to refer it to the SPR’s court for a verdict,” she stated.