Police in Mangochi over the weekend arrested one suspect in connection with a robbery in which a businessman was robbed of K3.8 million cash at Misi-Katema Village along the Mangochi-Monkey Bay Road and recovered K1.8 million.
Mangochi Police Station Public Relations Officer, Amina Tepani Daudi, has identified the suspect as Joseph Banda, 40, from Timbiri Village, Traditional Authority Timbiri in Nkhata Bay District.
Daudi said the victim, Douglas Mathews, 33, from Mgundaphiri Village, Traditional Authority Mponda, in Mangochi District, was travelling from Mangochi to Bembeke in Dedza District to buy bags of maize for resale.
She said upon reaching the Soko area, Mathews boarded a blue Honda Fit, registration number MZ 11858, which was posing as a taxi and had three occupants, including the driver.
“However, after driving for a few minutes, the occupants allegedly activated the vehicle’s child-lock system, grabbed the victim’s laptop bag containing K3.8 million in cash, and forced him out of the vehicle,” she explained.
Mathews screamed, attracting the attention of nearby people. When the vehicle stopped, all three suspects reportedly fled on foot, abandoning the car at the scene.
Well-wishers alerted Mangochi Police, who swiftly responded and arrested Banda. The vehicle was also seized, while K1.8 million of the stolen money was recovered.
Investigations have revealed that the suspects allegedly hired the vehicle from Blantyre a few weeks ago for self-drive purposes, without the owner’s knowledge of their alleged criminal activities.
Banda remains in police custody and is expected to appear in court to answer a charge of robbery. Meanwhile, the vehicle is being kept at Mangochi Police Station as investigations continue to apprehend the two remaining suspects and recover the outstanding K2 million.
Police in the district have commended members of the community for their continued support in the fight against crime.
