MOMBASA, Kenya — A Kenyan court on Wednesday jailed 11 Somalis for five years each for piracy on a Liberian-flagged merchant ship in the Indian Ocean last year.
The men attacked the Safmarine container ship in April 2009, but they failed to take control of the vessel and were seized by marines from a French warship, the Nivose.
The Nivose handed them over to Kenyan authorities to stand trial.
Judge Richard Kirui rejected the men's defence that they were fishermen who had been at sea for three days before they were attacked by the French navy.
"After serving your jail term, I further order you to be deported back to your country of origin," Kirui told the accused in the court in the port city of Mombasa.
Defence lawyer Jared Magolo pleaded for leniency, arguing that the suspects -- aged between 22 and 34 -- had reformed while on remand.
"The suspects are remorseful... and have never known peace throughout their lives in their war-torn country. They need special consideration and understanding," argued Magolo.
The trial is the fourth involving Somali pirates in Kenya to reach a conclusion since international anti-piracy patrols began off the lawless neighbouring state in 2008.
A Mombasa court last week handed down identical five-year jail sentences to seven other Somalis for piracy.
Kenya and the Seychelles are the only coastal states to have agreed to try piracy suspects captured off Somalia by international navies.
Earlier Wednesday, the Spanish navy handed over four suspected Somali pirates to authorities here.
Copyright © 2010 AFP. All rights reserved.
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