Malawi Police arrest 5 for xenophobic attacks

Police have arrested six people in Mponela for xenophobic attacks on Burundians doing business in the central Malawi town in Dowa district.

Mponela is a growing trading centre, 100 kilometres to the north of the Capital City, Lilongwe.

Mponela Police Officer-In-Charge Esther Wandale confirmed in an interview withNation Online that the sixhave been arrested for engaging in an orgy of looting that took place late Tuesday targeting Burundi nationals from Dzaleka Refugee Camp.

“When we heard that the Burundians were being attacked, we sent our officers who managed to apprehend five men. These people will be charged and appear in the court of law soon,” said Wandale.

Some youths who were looting the shops when interviewed claimed they decided to take the law into their hands because the police and officials from the district commissioner’s office were siding with the Burundians.

“These people are taking over all our businesses and we want them back to their refugee camp. If that will not happen, they will never trade here since we will continue to torture them,” said one young man who only identified himself as Mikayeli.

However, other traders at the town faulted the Malawian youths for being jealous of the Burundians because they are successful.