Case against Eritreans deferred as court seeks interpreter

 

Twenty three Eritrean nationals accused of being in Kenya illegally will remain in police cells after they failed to take plea due to language barriers.

They were arrested on Tuesday along Opiroi-Maralal road in Samburu County as they were being smuggled to an unknown location.

They are facing charges of being unlawfully in Kenya contrary to section 53(1)(j) as read with section 53(2) of the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act No. 12 of 2011.

Resident Magistrate John Tamar allowed the delay since the 23 could not speak English or Kiswahili, meaning the court will need an interpreter present for the case to go on.

“In the meantime, the accused persons continue be held at Maralal police station," the court ruled.

According to the police, they were arrested after their car was intercepted while being driven through the bush from Opiroi area to Maralal at wee hours to avoid detection.

Samburu Central Sub-County police commandant Alex Rotich said the 23 were all traveling in same car. They had no travel documents or permits to be in the country.

The police boss said they suspect the immigrants were en-route to Nairobi but investigations are still ongoing.     BY DAILY NATION