Kenya/Somalia

Charges dropped against Kenyan pirate whisperer

Article published on the 2009-05-18 Latest update 2009-05-19 08:07 TU

Suspected Somali pirates sit inside the Mombasa Law Courts
(Photo: Reuters)

Kenya's judiciary has dropped charges against seafarers' campaigner, Andrew Mwangura, who has been dubbed "the pirate whisperer" for mediating with Somali pirates. Mwangura was arrested last October and charged "making alarming statements to foreign media touching on the security of the country", after telling RFI that tanks aboard the MV Faina were destined for southern Sudan.

A statement signed by Assistant Deputy Public Prosecutor, Jacob Ondari, said that the state has notified the court of its intention not to proceed against Mwangura.

Even after the MV Faina's release in February, the Kenyan government continued to insist that the tanks were for its own armed forces and not for the semi-autonomous govnerment of South Sudan. A number of intelligence sources contradicted the claim.

Mwangura, who runs the East Africa Seafarers' Association, has confirmed that the case against him has been dropped and says that he may consider suing the state for unlawful detention.

After years of running his organisation on a shoestring, he may now become the subject of a Hollywood film. Director Andras Hamori and actor Samuel L Jackson have secured the rights to his story, according to the showbiz paper Variety..