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(NYASATIMES MALAWI) Malawi Police arrest illegal immigrants, prostitutes

Malawi Police arrest illegal immigrants, prostitutes
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Emelyn Nyoni 18 November, 2008 01:12:00
image Police in sweeping operation

Malawi Police have arrested about 25 prostitutes and criminals in separate night sweeping missions that took place in Blantyre, Lilongwe and Kasungu during the last four days.

In Lilongwe, Central Region Police Spokesperson John Namalenga, said five Zimbabwean women were rounded up for being found in the country without valid documents and engaging themselves in prostitution.

He mentioned the five as Maria Kalolo, 26, Mishel Tembo, 30, Portia Chiwanda, 23, and Memory Kasande, 28.

“These women will appear before court any day to answer charges of illegal immigrants as they have no valid documents allowing them to stay in the country and again engage themselves in prostitution,” he said.

And the Kasungu Magistrate Court on Monday ordered 16 sex workers to pay a fine of about K3, 500 each or in default serving custodial sentence for running illegal trade of earning a living through prostitution which is contrary to section 106 of the penal code.

The sex workers were arrested during a sweeping operation in rest houses when police carried out a sweeping exercise around Kasungu Township.

All the prostitutes pleaded guilty to the charge.

Namalenga also said during the operations police also arrested seven men allegedly to be behind the series of housebreaking that recently hit Lilongwe city.

The seven men were identified as Ganizani Chibwe, 23, Hapton Lyton 23, Richard Galiyo, 33, and Kwinda Phala, 37, all from Lilongwe. Others are Dan Matumba, 27 from Mulanje, Levi Banda, 29, (Dedza) Yasin Bwanali, 24 (Mangochi) and Samalani Sumaili, 30 .

The seven are believed to be among a gang that stormed Skyway Business College girl’s hostel in Lilongwe last week armed with panga knives where they went away with assorted items.

The thugs invaded the hostels around 01:00 am and tied the only guard at the hostel to a tree before entering into the rooms. They demanded cash from the students but most of them did not have and instead opted to grab mobile phones and other items like clothes.

They managed to get five mobile phones and five full suitcases of clothes from the students.

One of the students who was resistant to surrender her items was beaten up with a whip and left with serious bruises in her arms and back.

In Blantyre police are keeping in custody a 33-year-old habitual thief for allegedly stealing toilets’ equipments from the New Government Offices in Blantyre.

Charles Penya, was found unscrewing the sink at the District Commissioner’s office by members of staff from the DC's office. Our reporter who witnessed the incident said Penya, who hails from Likalawa village in Traditional Authority Likoswe in Chiradzulu District but a resident of Ndirande Goliyo in Blantyre, was found with a document in his pockets that showed he once worked as a plumber at Air Malawi.

After the arrest, Penya confessed that he had been stealing the equipment and selling them to vendors at Blantyre Flea Market and main market.

There has been rampant stealing of bathroom equipment at the New Government Offices since civil servants occupied the complex in 2005.

The theft has been linked to civil servants themselves.

Police charged Penya with theft contrary to section 278 of the panel code and was expected to be taken to court of law this week.

Labels: MALAWI

posted by MrK @ 11:09 PM