One hundred and forty-eight (148) Malawian nationals were each sentenced to between four and six months in prison while awaiting deportation by Chivhu and Mvuma magistrates respectively after they sneaked into Zimbabwe without travel documents.

65 of the travellers were intercepted by Police in Chivhu while 83 were arrested in Mvuma.

Chivhu Magistrate Henry Sande sentenced the group of 65 to four months imprisonment wholly suspended pending deportation.

Prosecutors told the court that on Monday, police officers manning a roadblock at the 141-kilometre peg along Harare-Masvingo Road intercepted 65 Malawians travelling by road.

The foreign nationals were aboard two buses; Boundary with registration number AFQ 5485 and Sarge with registration number JF24GLGP.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers discovered that there were 55 passengers on the Sarge bus and 11 passengers on the other bus.

All 65 passengers were travelling with no valid documents permitting them to enter or remain in Zimbabwe.

Meanwhile, 83 Malawians who were intercepted at the 188-kilometre peg along Chivhu–Masvingo road appeared at the Mvuma Magistrates Court, for a similar offence.

The group was sentenced to 6 months imprisonment wholly suspended pending deportation.