NAIROBI, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- A Kenyan court has freed a regional maritime official who was accused of making a false statement regarding the destination of the weapons on the Ukrainian MV Fainaship which was hijacked off the coast of Somalia last month.

    East Africa Coordinator of the Seafarers Assistance Program (SAP) Andrew Mwangura was released on Tuesday on a cash bond of 200,000 shillings (about 2,700 U.S. dollars) by a Mombasa court.

    Mwangura was arrested last week after contradicting the official version put out by the Kenyan government about the destination of Ukrainian cargo ship, the MV Faina, laden with weapons, that was seized by pirates off the Somali coast on Sept. 25 on its way to the Kenyan port of Mombasa.

    Mwangura had been providing information to the media over the hijacked Ukrainian vessel and police claimed he appeared to know alot about the incident.

    However his lawyer had earlier stated that his client had no direct contact with Somali pirates holding the Ukrainian ship MV Faina.

    The government has clarified that the military equipment hijacked was meant for the Kenyan army and not southern Sudan as had been insinuated.

    Government spokesman Alfred Mutua said claims that MV Faina's cargo was for southern Sudan were "propaganda" based on "wild guesses, speculation and interferences with no iota of proof or documents to back them".

    His release came after Reporters Sans Frontieres, a worldwide press freedom organization called for his release.

    "Detaining Andrew Mwangura is completely unjustified. This dangerous precedent set by the Kenyan authorities is surprising. It sends a very negative signal to those with information contradicting the government," the worldwide press freedom organization said.

    "Moreover the detention of Andrew Mwangura only increases the doubts about the destination of the Faina, even more so since his statements are based on serious information shared by several sources close to the case."

    Since the ship was seized by pirates, there has been a continuing argument about the destination of the arms.

    The Ukrainian and Kenyan governments say the weapons were intended for the east African nation.

    The Pirates are still demanding a 20 million U.S. dollar ransom despite being surrounded by several foreign warships.