Bilateral meetings crucial in dealing with cross-border crimes

Malawi Police has said meeting security agencies from neighbouring countries is crucial in dealing with cross-border crime.

The Commissioner of Police responsible for eastern region Martha Suwedi said this on Wednesday at a daylong bilateral meeting between Malawi Police Service Eastern Region and Mozambique Police Force Niassa Province held at Liwonde in Machinga district.

In her remarks, Suwedi said it is only through bilateral collaboration that the two countries can deal with cross-border crime and promote peaceful coexistence of its people.

She cited an example of a case that happened at Chiponde Health Centre where criminals stole a motorcycle and fled to Mozambique, but after Malawi Police informed the Mozambican colleagues, the criminals were arrested and motorcycle recovered.

“Had it been that there was no bilateral relations, the motorcycle would not have been recovered,” she said.

Commissioner Suwedi therefore urged for continued meaningful bilateral relationship for the betterment of people of the two countries.

In his remarks, the team leader of the Mozambican delegates Mr Acklas Kapangula Manda, Commander General of Police responsible for Niassa Province thanked the Malawi Government and the Malawi Police Service for organizing the meeting.

He said Malawi and Mozambique share boundary and crossborder crime cannot be ruled out hence the need to be meeting and strategizing on how best this can be dealt with.

He also called for oneness if the countries are to achieve their goal of fighting cross boarder crime.

The meeting was organized with an aim of reviewing the progress made in the implementation of the resolutions that were made during the meeting that was held at Luchinga in Mozambique on 11th May, 2017 and also to identify and present new emerging common security issues and find possible solutions.