This archive report was first published on 23 August 2019.
On August 18, 2019, four men from Kenya attempted to sneak onto a cargo ship, MV Ken Sea, in a bid to travel to the United States. Mohamed Bwika, Stephen Malenya, Fredrick Gitari, and Mnyika Maganga were caught hiding in the ship's engine room and chain locker.
According to Senior Resident Magistrate Edgar Kagoni, the men were motivated by the desire to find better job opportunities in the US. However, their actions put their lives at risk and threatened the safety of the ship's crew.
During the trial, the men pleaded for mercy, citing personal circumstances and the influence of their friends. However, Kagoni ruled that they would serve a six-month sentence to deter others from attempting similar stowaways.
“The youths must be encouraged to love their country and not dream only of going to America,” Kagoni said. “I don’t encourage the conduct of such people around here who think they can hide in a ship and go wherever they want. So that others don’t do the same, they will go to jail for six months,” he ruled.
