Dowa Police have launched a manhunt for Masautso Chimphala, a supervisor at Kulima Gold Depot in Dowa, after he allegedly vanished with stock worth K24 million.
Dowa Police Station Public Relations Officer Sub Inspector Alice Sitima said Chimphala is wanted for theft by servant following an audit that exposed massive shortages at the depot in August 2026.
Sitima added that the drama unfolded during what was meant to be a routine stock-taking exercise.
“According to the Depot Controller, management decided to conduct an impromptu audit after noticing irregularities in shop records. All workers, including Chimphala, were present when the team began counting iron sheets, bags of cement, and other building materials,” she explained.
She went on to say that as the counting progressed, discrepancies quickly became obvious. Several items could not be traced in the books, yet they were physically missing from the shelves and yard. The atmosphere grew tense as workers watched the numbers fail to add up, with the value of the missing goods climbing higher with each tally.
The publicist said it was at that point that Chimphala asked to step away. He told colleagues he needed to answer a phone call outside. No one thought much of it at first. Minutes turned into an hour, and the supervisor never returned. By the time the audit was finalized, his desk was empty and his phone was off.
When the final report was compiled, the shock was complete. Items worth approximately K24,000,000.00 were unaccounted for. The list included large quantities of iron sheets and cement the depot’s fastest-moving stock. Police say the timing of Chimphala’s exit suggests he may have known the audit would expose him.
Kulima Gold Depot management immediately reported the matter to Dowa Police Station. Officers opened a case of theft by servant, an offense that applies when an employee entrusted with property misappropriates it. Investigators have since been interviewing other depot staff to establish how the items could have left the premises without records.
“We are actively tracing the suspect, Masautso Chimphala, who is currently at large and we are urging anyone with information on his whereabouts to come forward to assist police with the investigation,” she stressed.
Police are appealing to the public to help bring Chimphala to book and has provided phone numbers to contact the law enforcers.
Meanwhile, depot management says they have tightened internal controls and will conduct more frequent audits to prevent a repeat of the K24 million loss.
