Malawian gang burns Mozambican Police post
Irate Malawians have reportedly burnt down a Mozambican Police Post in retaliation to the arrest of their relative caught crossing the border illegally.
The incident occurred at Baragua in Mandimba District in Northern Province of Niassa last Monday, according to a report published by that country’s national news agency, Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (AIM).
The report said several angry Malawian men crossed the border into Baragua and invaded the police post, which was being used by the Mozambican Frontier Guard.
“They physically assaulted the only member of the Frontier Guard present and attempted, unsuccessfully, to seize his AK-47 rifle,” reported the news agency.
Alberto Imede, a Mandimba Police Commander, was quoted saying the attackers successfully managed to free their relative and took him back to Malawi.
“But later they returned and burnt down the police post. In the clashes, two people were injured,” said the report.
The police commander said a Commission of Inquiry had been set up to investigate the case and that the Mandimba local authorities have requested information from their Malawian counterparts.
Meanwhile, calm and tranquility are reported to have returned to the region after the tense situation, Mozambique’s Interior Minister, Alberto Mondlane told AIM.
The minister, however, downplayed the incident, which he described as “localised and controllable”.
Mondlane said Mozambican and Malawian authorities work closely together and there is a good atmosphere in joint attempts to solve problems that occur along the common border.
He said investigations were under way involving police forces from both countries to establish the real motives for the attack and identify the culprits before taking measures against them in accordance with the two countries’ laws.
There was no immediate comment from the Malawi Police over the matter.
Last November, the two countries held the Seventh Session of the Mozambique-Malawi Joint Defence and Security Commission where, among others, they discussed various occurrences along the border and the need to find solutions that bring the cases to an end and ensure mutual respect.
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