Jenda police in Mzimba district has arrested six Ethiopian nationals and two Tanzanians for illegal entry into the country and aiding illegal immigrants, respectively.

The arrest was made during the night of 4-5 August at Jenda Trading Centre along Mzimba-Mzuzu M1 road.

According to the Public Relations Officer for Jenda Police Station, Sub-Inspector Gladwell Simwaka, the issue was known when one of the illegal immigrants was seen loitering at the trading centre, prompting police officers to carry out intensive investigations which led to the discovery and arrest of five more Ethiopians in Asas fuel tanker motorvehicle registration number T992DJE and T204DLB, respectively.

Sub-Inspector Simwaka further says the police also arrested the two Tanzanians tanker drivers for aiding illegal immigrants into the country.

Preminary investigations have established that the six Ethiopians have no any travelling documents and were being transported by the tanker drivers from Songwe in Karonga, enroute to Lilongwe.

The six Ethiopians are Biryani Botiso, aged 26, Malasa Arema, aged 26, Bereketi Tarmiyati, aged 27,Malekimu Asefa, aged 28 Andat Tshuma, aged 26, and Abedinago Asefa, aged 25, all from Ethiopia, and the two Tanzanian tanker drivers are Dugumbi Mshindo, 40, and Ramadhan Hamis, 31, of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.

The suspects will appear in court soon to answer charges levelled against them.

Freedom Chande – Staff Reporter, Mzuzu