8 arrested in FMB robbery, says Malawi Police

Eight  people suspected to have been involved  in the  robbery of about K100 million at First Merchant Bank (FMB) Livingstone Towers in Blantyre on the night of December 23 2014 have been arrested, Police in the Southern Region have confirmed.

Southern Region Police spokesperson Nicholas Gondwa identified the eight as Felix Malope (35) from Chitengu Village in Traditional Authority (T/A) Bvumbwe’s area in Thyolo, Peter Malunga (48) from Musa Magasa Village, T/A Machinjiri in Blantyre, Keston Mbewe (28) from Makunje Village, T/A Machinjiri in Blantyre and Felix Khozomba (40) from Likumbo Village, T/A Likoswe in Chiradzulu.

The others are William Chirwa (54) from Nzikuola Village, T/A Mulonyeni in Mchinji, Edward Kamiza (28) from Lizulu in T/A Gomani’s area in Ntcheu, Limbani Hope (35) from Malope Village, T/A Nsanama in Balaka and Martin Malimwe (39) from Kalongonda Village, T/A Mabuka in Mulanje.

“We have been receiving tip offs from the public and we carried our investigations which led to the arrests,” said Gondwa.

He said among the suspects, Malunga is a husband of a senior police officer. Nyasa Times in an earlier report indentified the officer as Blandina Chanika.

Gondwa said Constable Makina, the female police officer who was admitted to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) after being shot in the robbery, is in a stable condition and has been discharged from the hospital.

Another police officer, Sergeant Patrick Mvula, was shot dead in the robbery.