Hiiraan Online
Monday November 27, 2017
MOGADISHU,(HOL)-Seychelles authorities will transfer convicted pirates to Somalia in December to serve their jail terms in the Horn of Africa nation, Somali foreign ministry said Sunday.
In recent years, Seychelles was one of the several countries in East Africa and the Indian Ocean region carrying out pirate trials to combat ship hijackings in the Indian Ocean.
Somali foreign minister, Yussuf Garad who visited the inmates in Seychelles said that a total of 15 prisoners who were sentenced in Seychelles will be handed over to Somali government.
"During my visit, I met with 15 Somali prisoners with sentences to serve and the Seychelles authorities are ready to hand them over to the government of Somalia on December,” said Garaad.
He confirmed that the archipelago authorities will be releasing another Somali prisoner who completed his sentence.
“One of the convicted prisoners who had completed his jail term will be released in December," said Garad in statement.
The minister also visited six pirate suspects who were handed over Seychelles authorities following their arrest for alleged attacks earlier this month off Southern Somalia.
"I met with six suspects who were claiming to be fishermen and lost direction after their boat developed mechanical problems," he explained.
In 2011, Seychelles and Somalia signed an agreement paving the way for Somali prisoners to be repatriated to their respective country.