By Evance Chisiano
Mangochi Police are keeping in custody three men on suspicion that they robbed a business woman, Hajra Champion, 20, a sum of K2.2 million and a Samsung J1 smart phone on September 30 at Malombe in the district, Mangochi Police Public Relations Officer, Sub Inspector Amina Tepani Daudi confirmed.
The police identified the three as Watson Kachingwe, 27, Baloni Wyson, 27 and Maxwell Matope aged 33, while the other suspects are on the run.
Daudi added that preliminary investigations indicate that the three men and others on the rum were armed with unidentified riffle when they broke into a house of Champion who was asleep on the night of September 30, 2021.
The alleged robbers demanded cash from Champion while torturing her and shot in the foot of a neighbor who came to rescue the business woman after raising alarm for help, according to Daudi.
As if this was not enough, the suspects also assaulted Champion’s mother who sustained a dislocation on her left hand before firing in the air to scare the neighbourhood,” she said, adding that the suspects fled thereafter.
She said the incident was reported to Malombe Police Unit while the victims were taken to Malombe Health Centre where they were further referred to Mangochi District Hospital where they were treated.
Daudi said one of the suspects; Watson Kachingwe was arrested on April13, 2022 at Mangamba Trading Centre in Machinga after being in hiding since robbing Champion at Malombe.
She said the suspect was traced through a Whattsap application while using the same stolen smart phone, upon the owner discovering that her phone was being used.
Daudi said the arrest of Kachingwe led to the apprehension of two more suspects, Wyson and Matope, saying the police were still hunting for the other suspects to recover the stolen cash and the riffle used during the alleged robbery.
Kachingwe, Wyson and Matope all come from Traditional Authority Chowe in Mangochi.