40 arrested after mob violence and looting erupts over trafficking claims against Balaka  businessman

Malawi Police in Balaka have arrested at least 40 people following a wave of violence, looting and property theft that erupted at Mponda earlier this week, as fury over alleged human trafficking spilled onto the streets.

Balaka Police Spokesperson Gladson M’bumpha revealed that 31 men and nine women have since been rounded up and slapped with charges including arson, theft and malicious damage to property, as officers continue to comb the area for more suspects.

Officers have also recovered a haul of stolen goods believed to have been looted during the chaos — among them a fridge, mattresses, door frames, tractor tyres and parts, iron sheets, pipes, chairs, drums, additional tyres, and crates of soft drinks and alcoholic beverages, painting a picture of widespread ransacking during the disorder.

M’bumpha said the unrest was sparked by explosive allegations against local businessman Hassan Safili Obeya, who residents accuse of being involved in human trafficking.

Tensions boiled over after claims emerged that Obeya had abducted a woman who made her living selling vegetables — allegations that reportedly ignited outrage in the community and triggered the violent backlash.

Police say the investigation is far from over, with M’bumpha warning that anyone found to have taken part in the violence, or caught in possession of stolen property linked to the looting spree, will face the full force of the law.

Authorities have not yet confirmed the whereabouts or status of Obeya himself, nor the woman he is alleged to have abducted, as the probe into the disturbing case continues.