No change in house arrest

Press, 17 May 1989, Page 8

No change in house arrest

Reports that a Christchurch man under house arrest in Somalia will soon be on his way home are unfounded, says his wife, Mrs Ann Gason. Mr Vince Gason was feeling more optimistic but the Somali authorities were still waiting for news of compensation from Mr Gason’s business partner, she said. Mr Gason is under house arrest over his involvement with Mr John Woods in a joint fishing venture between Somalia and Australia. Two of the venture’s fishing vessels left Somali waters without permission and in breach of Somali immigration and international maritime laws.

Somali authorities say Mr Gason can leave if half the value of the 14 tonnes of seafood which was on the vessels is paid. Mr Gason believes his

fate is in the hands of Mr Woods, but has heard nothing from his partner apart from a mesage saying an airline ticket to fly home was waiting for him with a Kenyan airline. But as Mr Gason is only allowed out of his hotel for exercise in the garden one hour a day his chances of picking up the ticket are not good.

Mrs Gason said when she managed to get through to her husband by telephone he sounded “quite bright,” and since he had found a Somali lawyer he had not been called back to court.

Matters were mostly in the hands of solicitors now and correspondence was going back and forth. She said she was used to her husband being away but after 11 weeks, and under such trying circumstances, she was beginning to feel the strain.