Robbers ransack Malawi Posts offices: ‘Organize beer party’

Robbers have ransacked five offices at Malawi Posts Corporation (MPC) premises at Chichiri area in the commercial capital Blantyre and went away with several office items including computers as well as cash before they treated themselves to all the expensive beverages at the premises’ Chitsime bar.   

An official of UK Security Company manning the premises says 20 armed robbers stormed the premises around 12 am few hours after the closure of the bar and overpowered the three UK security men who were armed with only button sticks and torches. Normally the bar closes at 10pm.

“They grabbed each one of them and start beating them up with sticks just as what school teachers do to children and they tied them with rope. Two of them are severely injured while one is missing. We don’t know what has happened to him,” said the official.

According to the UK officials the robbers first ransacked the MPC’s administration offices taking away desktop computers, laptops, corporations’ T-shirts, airtime vouchers and a cash box containing over K300, 000. robbery

And later went to the bar where they took the prima screen and mixer and guzzled beverages and chewing all the fried chicken there, leaving the empty bottles scattered all over the place.

One of the tied up guards said he overhead the robbers discussing about sharing the stolen items there.

Ironically some of the items stolen from the MPC’s administration offices are said to have belonged to the tenants who were keeping them for safety for fear of being stolen from their respective offices.

These include a computer belonging to a law firm Roka Lawyers and Company and several others belonging to a learning institution known as Burmas.

Other offices broken into include offices housing Big Issue Magazine, an insurance company, Eagles, and Centre for the Alternatives for Victimized Women and Children.

The robbery incident comes three months after a gang of robbers broke into and combed eight offices of computers and other office equipment.

The July robbery incident was preceded by other four burglary incidents at the promises which occurred every fortnight in which more and more offices lost property which is yet recovered let alone refunded by the MPC authorities.

This means that the already cash-strapped corporation has to cough more money to refund the tenants on their stolen property if it will not be recovered.

Surprisingly the premises have become a haven for burglars despite the presence of UK security guards.

Sources confided to Nyasa Times that the owner has strong links with postmaster general Andrew Kumbatira as well as the ruling People’s Party government – an allegation that partly answers to a question boggling the minds of many tenants as to why MPC clings to UK Security Company in spite of these security lapses.

MPC hires the UK security after ending its contract with Safeguard Security campy during with one major robbery incident took place in which the car belonging to Eagle Insurance company was stolen which was used to transfer bicycles stolen from Centre for the Alternatives for Victimized Women and Children. The care was later recovered after being dumped in Lunzu Township.

Meanwhile, tenants are threatening to vacate the premises if MPC management fails to address security lapse. They say they found insecure because although some of have mounted door protectors some robbers enter the offices through the ceiling.

For example few days robbers who used the ceiling went away with cash and a printer from the offices of Girls Empowerment Network.

Confirming the incidents Chief Security Officer for MPC Ignatius Chasowa told Nyasa Times that he could go into detail on the issues of security lapse at the premises because he is not the spokesperson for MPC.

“Yes it’s true that the premises you are talking about have been invaded by the robbers for several times. But the manager at the MPC premises would be in better position to explain about this there because I am not the spokesperson for MPC,” he said.

 

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