News Africa Extended

News Africa Extended

Tanzanian minister declares war on traffickers

Posted: 13 Jun 2016 01:04 PM PDT

Tanzania's newly appointed Minister for Home Affairs Mwigulu Nchemba declares war against drug traffickers.

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Dar es Salaam - Tanzania's newly appointed Minister for Home Affairs Mwigulu Nchemba on Monday declared war against drug traffickers saying their days were numbered.

Nchemba was appointed to the position by the east African nation's President John Magufuli on Saturday, replacing Charles Kitwanga who was sacked last month after he had turned up in parliament drunk.

Speaking shortly after he was sworn in by President Magufuli at State House in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam, Nchemba said: “Fighting crime, including the illicit drugs business, will be my topmost priority.”

The international criminal police organisation Interpol recently described Tanzania as one of the major conduit for drug trafficking following recent arrests of suspects and seizure of drugs in the country, the second largest economy in east Africa.

“I will strengthen the ministry's strategies to curb crime in the country. Intelligence will also be reinforced,” the Minister said.

Last week, the High Court in Tanzania sentenced a Nigerian national to life imprisonment after he was found guilty of trafficking illegal drugs. Joachim Ikechukwi Ike, the 36-year-old Nigerian, was convicted of possessing and trafficking 6 969.38 grams of heroin valued at 157 000 US dollars.

ANA-Xinhua

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Life terms for 16 over South Sudan funds theft

Posted: 13 Jun 2016 12:52 PM PDT

A South Sudanese court handed life sentences for the disappearance of more than 14million dollars from the office of President Salva Kiir.

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Juba - A South Sudanese court on Monday handed 16 people life sentences for involvement in the disappearance of more than 14 million dollars from the office of President Salva Kiir, Eye Radio and other local media reported.

The convicts included a presidential chief administrator, a national security officer, central bank staff and four Kenyans.

The court said the accused used their positions to commit crimes, and ordered them to pay back the stolen money.

Defence lawyers announced they would appeal the sentence.

DPA

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Eritrea accuses Ethiopia of attacking its territory

Posted: 13 Jun 2016 05:37 AM PDT

Eritrea's government accused Ethiopia of launching an attack on its territory, but the extent of the assault was still unclear.

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Addis Ababa - Eritrea's government has accused Ethiopia of launching an attack on its territory, but the extent of the assault was still unclear and there was no immediate response from Ethiopia.

Eritrea, which won independence from Ethiopia in 1991, fought a bloody border war with its larger neighbour between 1998 and 2000.

Tensions between the Horn of Africa nations persist.

“The TPLF regime has today, Sunday 12 June 2016, unleashed an attack against Eritrea on the Tsorona Central Front,” the Information Ministry said in a statement around midnight.

TPLF refers to Ethiopia's Tigrayan People's Liberation Front, one of the four parties making up the ruling coalition.

“The purpose and ramifications of this attack are not clear,” the Eritrean statement said.

Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Ghebremeskel had no immediate additional comment when asked about casualties or other details about the attack.

Ethiopian government officials were not immediately reachable for comment.

Tsorona Central Front is close to the border and saw intense fighting during the border war that killed about 70 000 people.

Eritrea, which is under UN sanctions, says world powers have failed to push Ethiopia to accept an international arbitration ruling demarcating the boundary.

Ethiopia's government has said it wants talks on implementation.

Eritrea and Ethiopia routinely accuse each other of backing rebels trying to destabilise and topple the other's government, a legacy from the two-year war.

Reuters

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