12 arrested as Police intercept 302 bags of maize, subsidised fertiliser

Malawi Police in Blantyre in the wee hours of Tuesday intercepted a truck  transporting maize from Dedza to Luchenza in Thyolo district without documentation.

Truck laden with bags of maize meal intercepted
Truck laden with bags of maize meal intercepted

The law-enforcers have since arrested the lorry’s driver and his assistant who eventually attempted to bribe officers with K500.

The truck registration BR 4083, according to police, was intercepted at a roadblock that was mounted along the Blantyre-Zalewa M1 Road.

”The lorry had 302 bags of maize which was being ferried to Luchenza, however the driver Jameson Nanyambo, 33, and Arafat Adam aged 21 who is his assistant ,did not have valid documents for the ferried maize,” explained Blantyre police Public Relations Officer, Elizabeth Divala.

Divala disclosed that the two tried to bribe officers manning the roadblock with K500 to let them go.

”They are currently in custody and will be in court soon”.

The driver and his conductor will be arraigned in court with charges of transporting maize without valid documents, and official corruption contrary to Section 90 (b) of the Penal Code.

Food shortage situation is worsening in the country and people are spending nights at Admarc depots just to access the scarce maize which are only allowed to buy a minimum of 20kgs per individual.

There are growing reports that Admarc is running short of maize supply and that some of its officials are conniving and selling the grain to vendors in bulks thereby creating shortage.

An assessment by government last year indicated that about 2.8 million will experience food shortage and need assistance.

And President Peter Mutharika last week admitted that people in the country are currently starving due to food shortage.

Meanwhile, police have apprehended ten people who have been unlawfully keeping subsidized fertilizers meant to benefit the underprivileged and vulnerable peasants in the districts.

Superintendent Kalungu of Limbe Police Station disclosed that the culprits were arrested on Sunday at Kwanjana Village, Traditional Authority Bvumbwe  in Thyolo.

“Yes I can confirm that the culprits unlawfully obtained eleven bags of UREA  and twelve bags of NPK fertilizers meant to benefit the underprivileged and vulnerable peasants in the two mentioned districts and have since been apprehended.

“They await to answer  the charge of being found in possession of subsidized fertilizers believed to have been unlawfully obtained,” explained Supt. Kalungu.

On his part, Assistant Southern Region Police Publicist, Peter Mchiza warned the general public that the law enforcers will stay idle once tipped about greedy and unscrupulous traders who are currently conniving with other ill-minded individuals across the country to unlawfully obtain the crucial agricultural inputs such as fertilizers which are meant to benefit the less privileged citizens countrywide.

In view of this, Mchiza urged the general public not to hesitate to tip off the law enforcers whenever they become suspicious of greedy and ill-minded culprits within their surroundings.—Additional reporting by Rodney Majawa, Mana

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Ya_SmoothDJ
Ya_SmoothDJ
8 years ago

@Kwerekwere you have just hit the point. K60billion and we are still starving huh? Are we serious. Heads must roll here. lets review on this subsidy program whether its of any benefit to the nation or not. otherwise its time to cut our loses and invest on something worth while.

Commenter
Commenter
8 years ago

What documentation are they supposed to show chikakhala kuti chimangacho ndi chawo, choti adalima ndi thukuta lawo!!! This is atrocious, kufuna kubela anthu that have also been working hard. They have to lay some policies kuti ukakhala kuti walima chimangacho ndi thukuta yako what sort of documentation are you supposed to show. Tisanamizane apa ayi,

Milestones
Milestones
8 years ago

i dont u derstand why these people were arrested. For example if am a farsmer and i have 500 bags of maizze i sell them to you do i give you a receiipt or documentation? or the farmer himself does he have documentation for hes maize? who says thos maize was stolen?

DEBRIS
8 years ago

pamene njala yangoyambapo zintchito zake dziko lathuli yayamba kale kudandaula,kodi inu mumaona zachitetezo awa mukuti ndi mavendawa mukuwanyambita bwanji kuno ku NKHOTAKOTA admarc anthu akuvutika kugona pa mzere koma chimanga akugulitsa mavenda anthu ovutika sakugula ndiye kuti zitisunga tikatopa tiyatsa moto kuti mudziwe kuti tatopa ndi khalidwe lanu ichi ndiye mudziwe.

gggggg
gggggg
8 years ago

kodi chimangacho anagula ku Admarc kapena ayi because it looks that he kept the maize for sometime.

Zigwetsa
Zigwetsa
8 years ago

chimanga cha MCP ku Dedza mwachitenganso. ku Thyolo mukhaula ndi njala. DPP ilibe chakudya. chimangacho mugawane apolisi, mwamva???

ichocho
ichocho
8 years ago

koma kumeneko! After getting a two day ultimatum by your own home district people; Mr president mwayamba kutenga chimanga ku central region for your home boys. This is unacceptable

Van nierk Kamwaza
8 years ago

Up to 302 bags of maize while we are only allowed to buy 10kgs for rationing?Iam very very serious and therefore these people must be jailed for life because that is killing.

Admson
8 years ago

Pakhani ya chimanga yokhayo ndiye yake.

Kwerekwere
Kwerekwere
8 years ago

Why arresting people who are transporting their maize? Who complained that his maize is stolen? I thnk Malawi is a reberised trade. Why not arrest those who stole cash frm the gvt coffers? Its high time we stop these subsidies, they are of no help to Malawians. How could we invest K60Billion and end up to be starving for the same? Its not helping, better try other options using the Agriculture Schemes, Prisons or other capable institut ions to grow maize and stock it in ADMARC for consumpt ion and export.

LAWRENCE
LAWRENCE
8 years ago

K500 BRIBE, TOO LITTLE, THATS WHY THEY HAVE ARRESTED YOU.

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