A Malawian national Allan Gondwe is behind bars in Ethiopia for allegedly attempting to smuggle cocaine from Malawi to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.
The 47-year-old was apprehended by Ethiopian security officials at Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa on October 20 2026 on his way to the Southeast Asia nation.
According to a diplomatic report by Malawi’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Khwauli Msiska, the alleged cocaine was concealed in portraits belonging to Gondwe.
Msiska said in his report dated October 28 2026 that Gondwe is facing charges of drug smuggling contrary to criminal code number 414/2004 of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.
The suspect is currently being held at Mexico-Kera Road Federal Police Station and is expected to appear before court tomorrow.
The ambassador said Gondwe’s itinerary shows he was in transit to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia from Lilongwe in Malawi.
“The suspect used Ethiopian Airline flight number ET 876 en route to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from Kamuzu International Airport, Lilongwe,” wrote Msiska in his diplomatic report addressed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
The suspect was using a Malawian passport number MWA323382. His other particulars show he was born on June 24 1979 in Dedza.
Malawi Embassy counsellor Dickson Chivwati Gondwe said although Ethiopian procedures restrict physical access to detainees, they managed to visit Gondwe.
Soon after his arrest, his brother Gift Gondwe reported to the embassy that he had gone missing.
In another development, the family of Anne Muhammad, who was also arrested in Ethiopia for being found in possession of cocaine, has pleaded with government to have her serve the punishment in Malawi.
She was arrested at Bole International Airport en route to Qatar and sentenced to five years in 2023.
