Boxer Brian Agina still missing as Kenyan team flies home
Brian Agina has gone missing at the just concluded 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia. PHOTO | FILE |
What you need to know:
The boxer mysteriously disappeared from Kenya’s games camp at the athletes’ village in the city of Gold Coast on Sunday night.
The Kenyan High Commission said it is also awaiting for a formal communication from Australia’s foreign ministry authorities.
Last week, eight Cameroonian athletes vanished from the village and are still at large.
Gold Coast, Australia
Queensland State police on Tuesday said missing Kenyan boxer Brian Agina is still in Australia legally as his visa remains valid.
They told the head of Kenya’s delegation to the Commonwealth Games, Mr Barnaba Korir, that should Mr Agina not be traced after the expiry of the visa on May 15, the boxer would have violated the country’s immigration rules.
The boxer mysteriously disappeared from Kenya’s games camp at the athletes’ village in the city of Gold Coast on Sunday night.
Australian authorities still hope the 19-year-old will be found.
“I went to the police station at the games village in the morning and this evening, and still, the boxer hasn’t been traced. There are no leads about his whereabouts,” Mr Korir told the Nation.
The Kenyan High Commission said it is also awaiting for a formal communication from Australia’s foreign ministry authorities.
PROTOCOL
The High Commissioner, Mr Isaiah Kabira, said protocol must be observed and would not comment until the matter is brought to his attention.
But Mr Kabira said he remains hopeful the boxer will be traced.
Mr Korir said the final group of Kenyan officials would leave Gold Coast, the venue of the April 4 to 15 Commonwealth Games, today, with the boxer’s matter being left to the Australian authorities.
“The police said if the boxer shows up and seeks asylum, then the case will take a different dimension. It could call for the intervention of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees,” Mr Korir said.
Last week, eight Cameroonian athletes vanished from the village and are still at large.
The five boxers and three weightlifters failed to take part in the competition.
PASSPORT
Besides Mr Agina, the disappearance of Tanzanian table tennis player, Fatia Fazi, was also reported on Monday.
The Kenyan boxing team arrived in Nairobi on Tuesday.
Boxing Association of Kenya President John Kameta has Mr Agina’s passport, but he will begin his journey to Kenya on Wednesday.
“Should the boxer surface before May 15, he will be granted temporary travel papers to return home,” Mr Korir said.
Mr Agina lost his preliminary round fight of the 52kg category to Pakistan’s Syed Muhammad Asif.
