Blantyre suspected robbers linked to other crimes
Police have indicated that six people who were arrested in Blantyre yesterday on suspicion of attempted robbery at Chichiri Shopping Mall are linked to six other crimes in the Southern Region.
Malawi Police Service spokesperson Peter Kalaya told The Daily Times that the suspected crimes include a robbery at Number 1 in Thyolo District, where robbers erected a roadblock and robbed people of money and other items; a robbery at Life Pharmacy; and another robbery at Kabula Filling Station in Blantyre.
He indicated that their arrest is an indication that police have intensified efforts to ensure that lives and property are secure in the country following recent concerns by the public of security lapses in the country.
“These are not the only cases we are looking at; we have other cases that are on our radar and clues point to other groups and we will do anything that we can to make Malawi safe and secure,” Kalaya said.
During the morning of Monday, Malawians woke up to videos and pictures of a foiled suspected robbery at Chichiri Shopping Mall in Blantyre, where six people were rounded up, shot at and arrested by Soche Police agents in the commercial capital.
The six were suspected to have been targeting a money van for a certain company, which was scheduled to deliver cash at one of the banks at the shopping mall.
Kalaya said police would continue with such operations “until all criminals out there are flushed out of their hideouts” and taken to court.
“Guidelines on the use of firearms allow us to use reasonable force which is determined by the nature of the enemy and, depending on situations, it can go beyond merely injuring them,” he said.
Police identified the six as 40-year-old Brian Erick Banda of Mwandimba Village, Traditional Authority (TA) Njewa, in Lilongwe, Richard Mzinga, 39, of Msandama Village, TA Nsabwe, in Thyolo District, 32-year-old Petro Kambadi of Makonde Village, TA Chimutu, in Lilongwe.
Others include Martin Metson Phiri, 32, of Zazira Village, TA Nkalo, in Chiradzulu District, Oliver Maseko, 46, of Chamasowa Village, TA Chimaliro, in Thyolo District, and Peterson Ranken, 52, of M’gona Village, TA Tengani, in Nsanje District.
Justin Mkweu is a fast growing reporter who currently works with Times Group on the business desk.
He is however flexible as he also writes about current affairs and national issues.
