Kenya Stockholm Blog

Andrew Mwangura Released

A seafarers association official charged with issuing an alarming statement over the hijacked Mv Faina ship has been released. Seafarers Assistant Programme Co-ordinator Andrew Moningeti Mwangura was on Tuesday released on a surety bond of Sh200,000.

Mr Mwangura now wants the Mombasa court to refer his case to the Constitutional Court. Through his lawyer, Mr Francis Kadima, Mwangura claimed police violated his constitutional rights by illegally detaining him.

He was in police custody for five days after being charged last week.

Mr Andrew Moningeti Mwangura, who was arrested for publishing a false statement concerning cargo aboard the hijacked Ukranian vessel, MV Faina. He has been released on bond. Photo: File/Standard
Kadima told Mombasa Principal Magistrate Teresia Mwangi police had applied that his client be remanded at Central Police Station in Mombasa for five days, to enable them make more recoveries at his house and other areas, but failed to do so.

When the case came for mention on Tuesday, the prosecution was to ascertain to the court whether they had concluded their investigations or not. Prosecutor Joseph Bahati said the police had concluded their investigation. He did not object to Mwangura’s release on bond.

Mwangura is also facing a charge of being in possession of four rolls of bhang (cannabis sativa) with a street value of Sh200.

Violated rights

Mwangura, who was arrested by police at The Standard offices in Mombasa, was charged that on September 28 this year at Diamond Trust Arcade, along Ngong Road, he published a false statement in The Standard. It said that the military hardware on the MV Faina was destined for Southern Sudan.

Kadima had said the police had become malicious in their charges.

“Never at any time did my client go to Changamwe, since he has been in police custody all along. I read mischief in the second charge,” he said.

Bahati said the police application to detain Mwangura was merited and denied that his rights had been violated.

The magistrate said she needed more time to read the details, since the matter was being mentioned in her court for the first time. She will rule on the case on October 13.

Lifted from The Standard

October 7, 2008 Posted by makozewe | Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Kenyatta Day Bash: Word Awaited From Embassy

Kenyans in Stockholm have been making enquiries at KSB as to where Kenyatta day will be

Purity: Out of Office

celebrated this year. Unfortunately, the Ambassador was in a meeting (out of Office) while Jenipher Awuor, her Deputy, was also attending another meeting (out of Office). Daniel Kotutt, whom, KSB was told, is in charge of the event was also out of Office. It could not b established whether he too was in a meeting or whether he had gone out in the streets kurandaranda.

So far, nothing has been posted at the Embassy website which has been dead for some time without a single update for months. When it was launched in Kista, Stockholm, at the last Kenyatta day, Purity said that the Embassy will be using the site to communicate to Kenyans in Stockholm but so far, the site has remained cold.

Although the Ambassador is reported to be attending several meetings, her only speech posted at the site is the bit she delivered on 20th October last year at Kenyatta day. One may wonder

Jenipher: Out of Office

whether she ever gives speeches at these meetings and why (if any) they are never posted at the site so that Kenyans can follow her work through the web site. Anyway…

I left a message that H.E Ambassador Purity, Jenipher or Kotutt should call KSB as soon as they report back to Office and as a matter of urgency. That was yesterday and as at 11.00 hrs Thursday October 7th 2008, the Embassy had not made any contact.

As both Kenyatta and Jamhuri days approach, focus is turning to Kenya Embassy which might begin to get back on the news after a long period of time.

Last year, a 2 hour Kenyatta day bash was held at a Restaurant in Kista. Many Kenyans would like to know the schedule in advance so that they can organize time-out at their work places to be at the event. Let us hope that Lady Purity (or her work mates at the Embassy) will rise to the occasion by giving direction on Kenyatta day.

Okoth Osewe

October 7, 2008 Posted by makozewe | Uncategorized | Leave a Comment