Irish student locked up in Senegal for prank
An Irish student has spent almost three weeks locked up in Senegal after an alleged cheeky prank went wrong, it was revealed today.
Patrick Devine, from the seaside village of Dunfanaghy, Co Donegal, was arrested last month after dropping his trousers and “pulling a mooner” outside the home of one of the country’s governors in Saint Louis.
The Queen’s University Belfast engineering student had travelled to the west African state earlier this summer in a group from the Teaching and Projects Abroad (TPA) scheme to work with street children.
It is understood the 19-year-old pulled the stunt as part of a series of dares made up by members of the TPA group.
The Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed staff from the embassy in neighbouring Nigeria had been working to secure his release.
“The Department is aware that an Irish student has been arrested and we are providing consular assistance through our embassy in Abuja, Nigeria,” a spokeswoman said.
Mr Devine was arrested on July 27 after a local man saw the prank and held him and other members of the group until police arrived.
He has been in custody since and after several days in police cells he was moved to the prison La Maison de la Correction.
The TPA group said efforts were going on behind the scenes to try to secure his release.
“We are doing our very best,” a spokesman said.
Mr Devine’s father Patsy, who runs a pub in their home town of Dunfanaghy, declined to comment.
It is the third spot of trouble the student suffered on his volunteering trip to Senegal. He suffered a bout of chicken pox and had to have part of a toe amputated after a severe infection.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern said today that officials were doing everything possible to help the Co Donegal man.
The minister was informed about the incident while he was on holiday in France last month.
“It is a very unfortunate case. There is a judicial process in train now. Staff in the Department are doing their level best and we are also liaising with EU member states and other countries who have embassies in Senegal,” he said.
He added: “I spoke to the young man’s mother after the incident happened and assured her that the Department and its officials abroad were doing everything possible to resolve the situation".
