By Somalilandtimes network

Monday, 6 February 2006, About 100 Ethiopian nationals who were arrested last Wednesday allegedly for entering in the country through illegal routes from neighboring Kenya have been repatriated.

Addressing a press conference on Friday, the Acting Head of Criminal Investigation Unit of the Immigration Department in Kilimanjaro Region, Eddie Massanga said that 120 Ethiopians had been arrested and deported back to Kenya.

’The move was taken so that the Kenyan government could send them back to their homeland in Ethiopia,’ he said.

The immigration official said the Ethiopians were arrested in Mwanga District following a joint operation between the police and immigration officials in the district.

He said, they were found with 78 illegal long and short-term travel documents.

He said two Kenyans and three Tanzanians are expected to appear in court to answer the charges of facilitating the Ethiopians to get into the country through illegal means.

He said they will also face charges for collaborating with another Kenyan national who ran away shortly after they were arrested.

He named the Kenyans as Charles Msoka (35), a resident of Nairobi and Hassan Juma (32), a resident of Taveta whereas the three Tanzanians included Roy Msuya (40), Emmanuel Fransis (25) and Hashim Mohamed (35), were drivers of the vehicles involved.

Massanga said the suspects used three Toyota Coaster buses with registration numbers T 330 AAJ, T 367 AAM, and T312 AJY, adding that they were traveling to Dar es Salaam en route to South Africa.

’Of the buses, the one with the registration number T 367 AAM, was its second time to be intercepted transporting such aliens after it was impounded last year with 21 Ethiopians who are still serving prison terms,’ he said.

He said his department would continue to strengthen patrols along the international border though the task seems to be tough due to presence of many panya (illegal) routes and the shortage of equipment, particularly vehicles.

He said it has been a long time habit for nationals from Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia entering the country illegally claiming to go to South Africa to look for jobs.

Source: IPPMEDIA

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