Malawi and Mozambique police unite towards curbing cross border crimes

Officers from Dedza Police Station in Malawi and Angonia Police Station in Mozambique are attributing the rise in child trafficking and car theft syndicates between the two countries to the shortage of border police officers.

This was said at the end of the daylong meeting between officers from Dedza police station and Angonia police station which was aimed to find ways of curbing the crimes that are on the rise in the two border districts.

Speaking during the meeting on Thursday Dedza Police Officer In-Charge Senior Superintendent Cleig Yousuf said though there is less number of  border police officers, they are doing what it takes to root out cross border crimes in the district.

Cops exchange notes

“This is really a challenge. But we are doing our best because we have border officers from Mnamizana in Mchinji and we will as well deploy police officers from Dedza to different places which are known to be the outlet of different criminals especially those who steal cars in Malawi going to Mozambique, and those who come to Malawi with oil from Mozambique,” said Yousuf.

He said the relationship they have established with their friends from Mozambique will lessen the effort.

“This relationship will help us because if a criminals steal things from us and sneak into Mozambique as  they have been doing before ,it will be easy for our friends in Mozambique to trace and arrest them, and bring them to us since we will have links with them”, Yousuf  added.

He also advised people in both districts to report any misconduct police officer.

“Police officers should be on the fore front to help in ending crimes and if found aiding or abating crime that officer will face the law,” said Yousuf.

Commandant for Angonia police, Superintendent Antonio Foluara has since advised police officers from both countries to be serious with their jobs so that they can have only positive results from their relationship.

“It is our duty to keep our people safe, and we are their eyes so we need to be serious, mind you if our districts are to develop it will depend on how we are working. If there is peace in both countries that means that both districts will be developed,” said Foluara.

He also added that both districts should sensitize their people on laws from other district so that if they get arrested they should be in a opposition to know why they have been arrested.

“People from both districts should know that we are two different countries and this relationship we have made does not allow us to be doing whatever we want to do. We have to know that if we are in Malawi we have to follow the laws of Malawi and vice versa.

“For example when we apprehend a person because of transporting people using Matola in Mozambique we charge 50,000 Metcash which is equivalent to MK500, 000. If we charge them they feel that we are being unfair with them but that is our rule,” he said.

On issues of child and human trafficking the two districts agreed to alert one another if they suspect any such dealings taking place.

They cited an example of Lobi Police officers who arrested 40-year -old Ganizani Moffat from Chipindu village T/A Chinde in Mozambique after found trafficking seven people from one family to his farm in Mozambique.

Delegates to the  meeting also noted that intermarriages between these two countries is bringing  problems to both districts in the sense that sometimes a man from Malawi may marry in Mozambique and when he commits a crime there he flees back to Malawi .

Traditional Authority Kachere said that he is happy with the relationship these districts have made because it is the first of its kind in the history of Dedza and hoped this will bring change to his area.

Similar meeting is expected to be held December in Mozambique.

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