April 14, 2018
Nairobi, Kenya
Tofauti ya Kiswahili kilichotumika kwenye mahakama ni sehemu ya tatizo lililopelekea kumfunga muimbaji kutoka Kenya na wenzake 13 kwenye nchi jirani ya Tanzania wiki mbili zilizopita.
Lady Maureed ambae jina lake ni Maureen Achieng Otiu ameiambia Sunday Nation kuwa yeye na wenzake walipelekwa kortini na kikwazo cha lugha kuamua hatma yao.
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The Kiswahili dialect used in Tanzanian courts is partly to blame for the jailing of a Kenyan songstress and 13 of her band members in the neighbouring country two weeks ago.
Lady Maureen, whose name is Maureen Achieng Otiu, told the Sunday Nation that when she and the others were presented in court, language barrier sealed their fate.
“Their Kiswahili is not easily understood,” she said, hours after landing in Kenya after her release from a prison in Butimba.
“They read charges and we raised hands to explain how our passports were taken. But the magistrate did not understand us.
"He said, ‘Nimeshasoma, mmeshafungwa (I’ve read and you are convicted.’ They didn’t give us a chance to defend ourselves,” Lady Maureen said.
“Those who couldn’t understand Kiswahili also suffered in detention. When you’re told, ‘Chuchumaa’ (squat)’ and you don’t understand, guards hit your legs.”
Source : www.nation.co.ke
Nairobi, Kenya
Tofauti ya Kiswahili kilichotumika kwenye mahakama ni sehemu ya tatizo lililopelekea kumfunga muimbaji kutoka Kenya na wenzake 13 kwenye nchi jirani ya Tanzania wiki mbili zilizopita.
Lady Maureed ambae jina lake ni Maureen Achieng Otiu ameiambia Sunday Nation kuwa yeye na wenzake walipelekwa kortini na kikwazo cha lugha kuamua hatma yao.
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The Kiswahili dialect used in Tanzanian courts is partly to blame for the jailing of a Kenyan songstress and 13 of her band members in the neighbouring country two weeks ago.
Lady Maureen, whose name is Maureen Achieng Otiu, told the Sunday Nation that when she and the others were presented in court, language barrier sealed their fate.
“Their Kiswahili is not easily understood,” she said, hours after landing in Kenya after her release from a prison in Butimba.
“They read charges and we raised hands to explain how our passports were taken. But the magistrate did not understand us.
"He said, ‘Nimeshasoma, mmeshafungwa (I’ve read and you are convicted.’ They didn’t give us a chance to defend ourselves,” Lady Maureen said.
“Those who couldn’t understand Kiswahili also suffered in detention. When you’re told, ‘Chuchumaa’ (squat)’ and you don’t understand, guards hit your legs.”
Source : www.nation.co.ke