Nairobi — An Italian national has spent his third week in Malindi police cells despite paying a fine of Sh60,000 demanded by a local court for staying in the country illegally.

Treasury is said to have delayed funds to buy a one-way air ticket to Italy for Mr Rosiello Vladimirio who is languishing in the police cells since last month.

Mr Vladimirio faced four charges before court including failing to produce documents for his stay in Kenya on October 26 and earlier failing to present himself to the Immigration department in Malindi for questioning.

He was also accused of failing to register as alien and failing to renew his stay permit. Prosecutor Mr Joel Nzomo said immigration officers had to visit and pick Mr Vladimirio at his hotel when he failed to appear before immigration officers following summons.

According to documents produced before Malindi Chief Magistrate Ms Lucy Gitari, the Italian arrived in Kenya in 2003 from Rome in Italy and was allowed to stay for six months. The stay period expired in 2004, the court heard.

"On July 20, Mr Vladimirio went to Tanzania through Lunga Lunga border point and soon came back to Kenya through Jomo Kenyatta International Airport whereupon he was allowed to stay for six months," said the prosecutor.

Mr Vladimirio applied for an Age Class permit for two years upon the expiry of the six months. This permit expired in 2007 but he was said to have continued to stay illegally until September 2, 2009 when he was summoned by the Immigration department, the court was told.

When he was asked to defend himself, Mr Vladimirio said he was a widely-travelled person working in various charitable organisations and often forgot to renew his documents.

"I have considered your mitigation favourably. But the offence is serious. I therefore order that you pay a fine of Sh 60,000 after which you will be repatriated back to your home country," Ms Gitari ruled.

Yesterday, the Malindi District Criminal Investigations Officer (DCIO) Mr John Kariuki confirmed that Mr Vladimirio was still languishing in the police cells waiting for an air ticket from Nairobi to be repatriated.

"It's a very tedious and complicated process. Treasury has to approve the funds which have to pass through several hands before an air ticket is prepared," said Mr Kariuki who felt that repatriation was "an expensive-for-nothing" process that makes the host country lose resources.