120 Ethiopian asylum seekers arrested in Mozambique

MALAWI (Nyasa Times) – Police in Mozambique are keeping in custody about 100 Ethiopians arrested this week for illegally attempting to cross Malawi for South Africa.

The 100 are said to have escaped from Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Dowa and were reportedly on their way to South Africa to seek asylum and employment.

They were arrested by Mozambican Police at Zobue Border after successfully beating the Malawian security system and other authorities all the way from Dowa.

Immigration Officer-In-charge at Mwanza Boarder Jika Ndovi confirmed the development saying the East African asylum seekers were being held by Police in Tete, Mozambique pending repatriation to Dzaleka.

In a similar development, another cluster of 20 Ethiopians has also been nicked for questioning by Balaka Police.

Balaka Police Public Relations Officer Chiyanjano Ligomeka said the 20 who could not clearly explain how they found themselves in the district are believed to have entered Malawi using uncharted routes.