Canadian police start manhunt
Sep 15, 2009
THE Canadian police have started the search for six Uganda U-19 team players who went missing from camp on Saturday.
By Charles Mutebi
THE Canadian police have started the search for six Uganda U-19 team players who went missing from camp on Saturday.
Ahmed Yakoub, Emmanuel Nakaana, Geoffrey Nyero, Moses Okwera, Andrew Ochan and Ahmed Sangau disappeared two days before the team, having taken part in the ICC U-19 World Cup Qualifier in Canada, returned home. Uganda did not qualify.
It is suspected that the players, who were granted six month visas, might have run away with the intention of settling down in Canada.
A former national team player Henry Osinde is now a Canadian citizen and plays for their national side. Two other Ugandans Joel Olweny and Kenneth Kamyuka play club cricket in Canada.
The Canadian authorities have been alerted and according to Uganda Cricket Association (UCA) publicist Latimar Mukasa, the search has started for the players who left without their passports.
Mukasa explained: “We (UCA) have told them that if they find the boys they should return them. Even if the players had six month visas, the purpose for which they went to Canada was finished.
“Once they are here, if they want to go back to Canada that is up to them but we are saying that they should come back first.†The rest of the team of eight players is expected in the country today.
The incident brings back memories of the disappearance of Jimmy Okello and Patrick Ochan from the senior team at the end of the 2007 ICC World Cricket League Division Three tournament in Darwin, Australia.
Ochan and Okello successfully applied for political asylum thereafter and they have remained in Australia since then.
THE Canadian police have started the search for six Uganda U-19 team players who went missing from camp on Saturday.
Ahmed Yakoub, Emmanuel Nakaana, Geoffrey Nyero, Moses Okwera, Andrew Ochan and Ahmed Sangau disappeared two days before the team, having taken part in the ICC U-19 World Cup Qualifier in Canada, returned home. Uganda did not qualify.
It is suspected that the players, who were granted six month visas, might have run away with the intention of settling down in Canada.
A former national team player Henry Osinde is now a Canadian citizen and plays for their national side. Two other Ugandans Joel Olweny and Kenneth Kamyuka play club cricket in Canada.
The Canadian authorities have been alerted and according to Uganda Cricket Association (UCA) publicist Latimar Mukasa, the search has started for the players who left without their passports.
Mukasa explained: “We (UCA) have told them that if they find the boys they should return them. Even if the players had six month visas, the purpose for which they went to Canada was finished.
“Once they are here, if they want to go back to Canada that is up to them but we are saying that they should come back first.†The rest of the team of eight players is expected in the country today.
The incident brings back memories of the disappearance of Jimmy Okello and Patrick Ochan from the senior team at the end of the 2007 ICC World Cricket League Division Three tournament in Darwin, Australia.
Ochan and Okello successfully applied for political asylum thereafter and they have remained in Australia since then.