Page last updated at 14:31 GMT, Sunday, 7 June 2009 15:31 UK

Film-maker jailed off West Africa

Graham Hughes
Graham Hughes is currently in Eugenio Lima prison on Sao Tiago

A film-maker from Merseyside has been arrested and jailed in the Cape Verde Islands, off the coast of West Africa.

Graham Hughes contacted his relatives in Liverpool on Saturday to say he had been jailed on the island of Sao Tiago.

It is believed the 30-year-old video director was arrested on suspicion of entering the country illegally after arriving by boat from Dakar in Senegal.

He had gone to the island as part of a challenge to visit all of the United Nations' 192 member states in a year.

Mr Hughes's older brother, Alex Hughes said: "He managed to get through to us yesterday.

"It was a very bad line and he basically said he'd been arrested and he was in a cell with 10 other guys.

My parents are beside themselves with worry. It's a bad time
Alex Hughes, arrested man's brother

"We've since found out that he's in the Eugenio Lima prison and he's due in court.

"We still don't know what the charge is."

A report found by the family on an African news website stated that naval police had intercepted a boat arriving at Cape Verde's capital Praia from Senegal with "illegal immigrants" on board.

Sao Tiago is the largest of the Cape Verde Islands.

Mr Hughes added: "My parents are beside themselves with worry. It's a bad time.

Cape Verde map
The Foreign Office are making inquiries about Mr Hughes' plight

"Graham doesn't speak any Portuguese either so he won't know what they're saying.

"He probably still doesn't know what's going on."

Mr Hughes had been raising money for the WaterAid charity by aiming to visit each of the 192 UN member states by public transport within a year.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "We are making inquiries but at present we have no further information."

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