A man accused of leading a human trafficking and migrant smuggling network operating across East and Southern Africa has been arrested in Malawi and deported to Ethiopia.
Adnew Bashaw Wudamo, also known as Adhino, was arrested on 27 July following an operation involving the Malawi Police Service, Ethiopian Federal Police and Interpol. He was taken into custody in Lilongwe before being transferred to Ethiopia to face charges, according to a report by the Platform for Investigative Journalism Malawi.
Malawi Police Deputy National Spokesperson Alfred Chimthere confirmed that authorities had received an arrest warrant from Ethiopia and detained Wudamo so that he could face legal proceedings there.
Ethiopian police accuse Wudamo and his alleged associates of deceiving young people from Ethiopia with promises of improved lives in South Africa. Authorities claim travellers were charged between 600,000 and 800,000 Ethiopian birr, with advance payments of at least 100,000 birr collected before departure.
Police said migrants were moved through Kenya, Tanzania and Malawi on their way to South Africa. They alleged that some travellers were forced to cross forests and deserts on foot or by motorcycle, given very little food and assaulted when their families could not provide additional money.
A PIJ investigation published in 2025 alleged that the network operated partly from locations inside Dzaleka and relied on assistance from officials within government and security institutions. The investigation examined police records, court documents, intelligence files and accounts from officials, civil society organisations and members of the Dzaleka community.
The Malawi Human Rights Commission welcomed the arrest, saying it could help expose other people connected to trafficking operations and clarify allegations that some Malawian officials assisted the network.
INUA Advocacy Executive Director Innocent Magambi also welcomed the development. The organisation said it had documented and reported suspected trafficking and migrant smuggling activities connected to Dzaleka for several years.
The arrest relates to allegations against specific individuals and criminal networks operating within and beyond Dzaleka. It should not be taken as representing the wider refugee community, most of whom are themselves vulnerable to exploitation, insecurity and organised crime.
Wudamo has not been convicted of the allegations reported against him. The matter is expected to proceed through the Ethiopian justice system.
