Police arrest illegal immigrants
Police in Rumphi have arrested a 25-year-old Ethiopian national Salam Ashoro for entering Malawi illegally.
Ashoro was arrested at Chinyolo in Rumphi along Karonga-Mzuzu road after police received information that two vehicles coming from Karonga direction heading towards Mzuzu had carried illegal immigrants.
“The two Toyota Sienta vehicles registration numbers KA9081 and RU9322 suspected to have carried the illegal immigrants have since been impounded. However, drivers of the vehicles and other suspected illegal immigrants are still at large,” said Rumphi police spokesperson Victor Khamisi.
He further said investigations are underway to trace the drivers and the occupants of the vehicles.
In a related development, the court in Karonga has ordered the department of immigration to deport eight illegal immigrants arrested at Songwe border post last Tuesday.
According to spokesperson for Songwe border post Chrispin Mawindo the court has also ordered that a minibus the illegal immigrants were using be forfeited and given to Karonga police station to help the station in the fight against illegal migration.
The immigrants were arrested at around 12 midnight on January 30, this year, following a tip off.
“The minibus registration number KU 2050 arrived at the road block but the drive did not stop for officers to search the vehicle. Officers then started chasing the minibus and it hit a metal barrier that damaged the vehicle in the process. It did not move a long distance forcing the driver and other occupants to abandon the vehicle and escape,” explained Mawindo.
According to Mawindo, when the officers arrived at the scene they only found a minibus and eight illegal immigrants. They were later taken to court.
