Northern Region Immigration Department Deputy Public Relations Officer Francis Chitambuli has confirmed the arrest of 66 illegal Ethiopian immigrants who were apprehended on Tuesday.

According to Chitambuli, the immigrants were arrested in the mountains at Mphwezi in Rumphi following a tip by the surrounding community who got suspicious upon seeing some unknown group of people wandering in the mountains.

“We rushed to the mountains where we found the 66 Ethiopians and nabbed them,” he said adding that they will answer charges of illegal entry contrary to Section 21 (1) of the Malawi Immigration Act.

Currently the suspects are at Mzuzu prison and will soon appear in court.