16 fake passengers arrested in Lilongwe, Malawi

Malawi Police arrested sixteen fake passengers at Lilongwe Bus Terminal.

The suspects, 12 men and four women, are expected to be charged with conduct likely to cause a breach of peace which contravenes section 181 of the Penal Code.

The officer in charge of the station Mr. Clement Gulo, Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police (SACP), led officers in the operation aimed to end the plight of passengers who seek transport services in the bus terminal.

The suspects, popularly known as ojiya or osongola, are paid by drivers to board a bus in order to trick travelers into believing that the bus is close to being full.

Travellers usually complain that they boarded a bus that seemed close to being full but ended up waiting for hours at the depot. Bus drivers refuse to refund bus fares if a passenger decides to disembark and board another bus.

Last week police, officers in Lilongwe also conducted a similar operation where 20 fake passengers were netted.

Meanwhile, Lilongwe Police Station has vowed not to relent in its efforts in making sure that sanity in and around Lilongwe Bus Terminal returns.