Software company founder John McAfee was arrested by police in Guatemala for entering the country illegally, hours after he said he would seek asylum in the Central American country.

Interior Minister Mauricio Lopez Bonilla on Wednesday said McAfee was detained by police at a hotel in an upscale Guatemala City neighbourhood with the help of Interpol agents. He offered no other details.

Earlier on Wednesday, McAfee said he had formally requested asylum in Guatemala, saying that he was the victim of persecution in neighbouring Belize where officials have said he is a person of interest in the killing of a fellow ex-pat.

McAfee was taken late on Wednesday to an old, three-story building used to house migrants who enter Guatemala illegally.

The 67-year-old went on the run from Belize last month after officials tried to question him about the fatal shooting of a neighbour.

Link http://www.aljazeera.com/news/americas/2012/12/201212633526258735.html