Family of athlete stuck in a Mexican jail appeals for help

The family of a Kenyan athlete who is reportedly being held in a Mexican prison has appealed for the government’s intervention to have him repatriated.

Mr Rerimoi Barsitei, left the country for Mexico in 2015 to compete in road races.

According to his father Sammy Chesang, a small scale farmer who has been in contact with him through Facebook messenger, Mr Barsitei was arrested on March 2021 together with his Mexican friends on kidnapping allegations and has been in jail since.

However, it was not until a few days ago that news of the athlete’s troubles came to light on social media.

Nation Sport visited his family at Merewet village in Soy Constituency in Uasin Gishu County on Tuesday, and his mother, Ms Esther Cherotich, could not hold back tears as she narrated the agony the family has been through for more than a year since her first-born son was arrested.

According to documents in his father’s possession, Mr Barsitei is in Cereso Cieneguillas jail in Zacatecas.

"My son told me that he had left his house under the care of his Mexican friend and went for a race and upon his return, was arrested and taken to a police station. It is only then that he learnt that his friends had been involved in a kidnapping saga while he was away," said Mr Chesang.

Part of the Facebook messages seen by Nation Sport showed the athlete had initially thought he had been arrested over drug trafficking.

His father said since his arrest, no charges have been brought against his son and he has been languishing in jail, hence the family’s appeal to the government to intervene.

"I have been in touch with my son throughout on Facebook and he has been updating me on what is going on. It is so sad that nothing has been done because Mexican authorities keep on postponing hearing of the case," he said.

Before he left for Mexico, Mr Barsitei trained in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County, which is known for producing some of the best athletes in the country. He was a renowned pacemaker before he became a full-time athlete.

Three-time Vienna City Marathon champion Nancy Kiprop confirmed that she knows Mr Barsitei, having met him in training in 2009.

"When I met him, he was hawking sweets and training at the same time. I asked him if he would assist me as my pacemaker and he agreed. The training sessions I did with him gave me more endurance and I managed to do well when I went to compete abroad in various races," said Ms Kiprop.

After three years, they lost touch, but later reconnected on Facebook, where he told her he was in Mexico competing in races.

"Rerimoi was an obedient and hardworking man who always wanted the best. As an athlete, I was happy for him. He was from a humble family and I knew he wanted to change the life of his family," Ms Kiprop added.

Prior to his athletics career, Mr Barsitei was a student at Anin Secondary School, and before that, a pupil at Keturwo in Baringo County.

When he finished secondary school in 2006, he started training, while engaging in small-scale business.

His mother describes him as an obedient child who has never been in trouble.

"When my husband informed me of his arrest, I was so shocked and I went down on my knees, praying that nothing bad happens to him. He was a staunch Christian and would always attend church -- the Reformed Church of East Africa," said the mother.

“I would like to ask our President Uhuru Kenyatta to listen to me as a mother and intervene and bring back our son. He used to help us and even pay for his siblings’ school fees, but now we are stranded,” added the mother.

Mr Barsitei’s father said he had tried on several occasions to reach the Kenyan authorities for intervention, to no avail.

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