By Patience Lunda:
Prison authorities in Mzuzu have said the repatriation of irregular immigrants who were serving their sentences at Mzuzu Prison will help reduce challenges that the facility was facing.
In the past few years, 351 immigrants were convicted and sent to Mzuzu Prison for illegal entry, which led to exceeding of the holding capacity of the facility from 450 to over 1,000 inmates.
Mzuzu Prison spokesperson Macbeth Wasambo said some of the illegal immigrants have been at the prison for two years, which made the prison’s food budget to swell.
Wasambo added that the situation also led to congestion in prison cells, sparking a rise in airborne diseases.
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“Irregular immigrants, just like other prisoners, require the same provisions which include food, space and even health care and because the prison was made to accommodate 450 inmates, it becomes a challenge to manage a large number of inmates,” he said.
On Tuesday, government repatriated 265 irregular immigrants to their home country, Ethiopia.
Out of the 265, 238 were serving their jail terms at Mzuzu and Mzimba prisons, while 27 were at Maula Prison in Lilongwe.
Central Region Immigration spokesperson Patrick Msume confirmed that the irregular immigrants left the country on Tuesday through Kamuzu International Airport (KIA).
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Msume added that the International Organisation for Migration funded the activity.
“The 265 irregular migrants were convicted and sentenced to imprisonment with hard labour in the Northern and Central regions and this move will help decongest prisons,” he said.
Earlier, Centre for Human Rights Education, Advice and Assistance (Chreaa) Executive Director Victor Mhango said issues of irregular immigrants should be treated faster because they are vulnerable people and should not stay in prison for a long time.
Currently, 159 irregular immigrants are awaiting repatriation at Mzuzu Priso.
