A group of 40 Kenyan fishermen have been charged and remanded to Luzira Prison on charges of using mosquito nets to fish and fishing on Ugandan waters without a licence.
The group was Friday arreigned before Magistrate Sanula Namboozo of Wildlife and Utilities sitting at Buganda Road Court in Kampala.
All the accused are facing two counts of possession of prohibited fishnets contrary to section 28 and 33 of the Fish Act CAP 197 as amended by the fish Amendment Act of 2011 and Fishing without a license contrary to rule 12 (1) (2) of the Fish (Fishing) Rules No.33/2010.
Prosecution alleges that on July 29, 2022 between 0200hrs and 06:00 hrs on the waters of Lake Victoria in Namayingo district, the accused were found in possession of fishnets (mosquito nets), which are prohibited.
That during the same place and time in the waters of Lake Victoria in Namayingo district, the accused were found fishing without a valid licence issued by Chief Fishers Officers for the Purpose of sale.
Court read the charges to the accused in Kiswahili language, to which they all claimed to speak and all pleaded guilty.
State prosecutor Allan Mucunguzi told court that he wasn’t ready for the brief facts, therefore, requested court to adjourn the case.
The case was adjourned till August 22, 2022.
Meanwhile, 12 Rwandans and six Ugandans were also remanded by the same magistrate on charges of possessing prohibited fishing nets and immature fish. These were; Abel Muhizi, Geofrey Twagirayezu, Erisa Kiiza, Moses Muchino Erick Wakatonda, Abel Mwizi, Felix Segeti, Emmanuel Mpendo, John Kaweesi, Eric Wamala, Eric Mugisha, Teo Ngabo, Paul Sibomana, Nelson Mutwimara, James Ssempijja, Yezu Kwajira, Bashir Kwajira, Bashir Rukundo, Simon Musinzimana and Micheal Nuwuhereza.
