Mozambique releases78 Malawians from jail
The Mozambican Government has unconditionally released 78 Malawians who were remanded in that country’s prisons, it has emerged.
The 78 are those remanded for immigration-related offences and, according to information The Nation has gathered, most of them were on remand for months without trial or having failed to pay monetary penalties.
Malawi High Commissioner to Mozambique Wezi Moyo in an interview yesterday confirmed that the release of the ‘prisoners’ is a Christmas gift to Malawi.
She said: “The release means that they are free. This was actually our request to the honourable minister [of Internal Security] to grant our people a Christmas present which would also restore their freedom as well as enjoy their rights as granted under international law.
“We are grateful for the prompt response of the government of the Mozambique through the minister of internal security on our request.”
Moyo said Malawi made the request for their release following reports from relatives of the remandees through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Half of those released are from Tete Province which is a transit point from Malawi to Zimbabwe and South Africa. More than once the Consulate in Tete has impounded buses with Malawians in possession of fake travelling documents or those travelling without documents.
In an interview, Malawi’s Consul General for Tete and Zambezia Province Happy Saka, who led the prison verification exercise in his province for the last two months, said it was a relief that the authorities in Mozambique responded positively to their call.
He said it is a concern that several Malawians opt to travel without valid documents leading to incarceration.
Besides the remandees, Malawians convicted in Mozambique and ser ving sentences are also reportedly appealing for mercy to be transferred to Malawian prisons to complete their sentences.
