Devendra Bhattarai

Three Nepali men have been incarcerated in a Nairobi prison in Kenya after the trio was found with fake visas.

Subas Gurung, Umananda Giri and Purna Tulachan of Pokhara had landed in Kenya nearly two months ago through an agent, Krishna Gurung, also from Pokhara. Krishna had charged Rs 1 million each from the three men to take them to the UK. They were told that Kenya was their transit destination, where they received visa-on-arrival for one month. After their visa period expired, Krishna had provided them fake visas and work permits.

“After they learned about the human trafficking racket, the three men got suspicious and decided to visit us for counseling. They were arrested on the way to Nairobi on July 14,” said Ramchandra Basyal, chairman of the Kenya chapter of Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA). 

A Kenyan court has sentenced the three to either pay a fine equivalent to Rs 200,000 each or serve 18 months in jail. Basyal and other NRNA representatives visited the three men at the Nairobi West Prison on Sunday.

“We are trying to collect money to pay the fine and release them as soon as possible,” said Kul Karki, another NRNA member. It is learned that Krishna and his team of agents have smuggled many Nepalis to countries like Kenya and Tanzania in the past. A man identified as Kamal Maharjan of Kathmandu is also said to be jailed in a Kenyan jail after he was also found with fake papers.

Published on: 29 July 2013 | The Kathmandu Post