42 illegal immigrants are facing deportation a month after being arrested for illegal gold mining in Namizimu forest in Mangochi.

Eastern Region Immigration Department Publicist, Chilungamo Gideon Kapulula said out of the 42 illegal migrants, 31 are Mozambicans and 11 are from Tanzania.

He said the department will start the exercise with the deportation of Mozambican nationals on Wednesday.

“We are at an advanced stage of processing repatriating of Mozambican nationals.

“This is because the Mozambican Ambassador came to our office to start the processes to deport the Mozambicans as soon as possible,” Kapulula told YFM online in an interview on Tuesday.

He added that the deportation of the Tanzanian nationals will be done after the extradition of the Mozambicans.

Kapulula said the exercise follows deportation orders by the courts.

“The illegal migrants were arrested and taken to courts so the courts ordered that these people must be repatriated within 72 hours,” he added.