Somali Juveniles Captured With Suspect Pirates Are Repatriated
Source: Seychelles Nation
Two Somali juveniles who were captured with 12 others of the same nationality on the high seas on suspicion of maritime piracy in January this year have been sent back to their homeland.
Thirteen of the 14 Somalis were convicted for voluntarily taking part in the operation of a vessel for the purposes of piracy.
One of the juveniles, Burhan Yasin Ahmed, was acquitted of all charges because of his young age (11) and the judge ordered that he be repatriated to Somalia.
The other juvenile, Abdi Khadur Mohammed aged 12 years, was sentenced to a provisional release upon repatriation to Somalia.
The Seychelles government and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) have cooperated to ensure these two juveniles are safely returned to Puntland, a state of Somalia.
Arriving in Somalia, the two youngsters will be reunited with their families.
They were flown directly to Puntland on a chartered flight of the Island Development Company (IDC).
On landing at Garowe airport, they are expected to be met by their families, Puntland authorities and UNODC officials.
UNODC representative in Seychelles, Bruce Bursik, thanked the Seychelles government officials for all the behind the scenes hard work, that often goes unnoticed in such operations.
Also present yesterday afternoon at the IDC hangar of Pointe Larue were two officials from the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia to witness the smooth transfer of the two juveniles.
It is hoped that the repatriation of the two juveniles will further play an important role in the release of the two Seychellois fishermen – Rolly Tambara and Marc Songoire -- who are still being held captive in Somalia.
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