Balaka police net three men for kidnapping and defiling a 14-year old girl

Three people are in Police custody in Malawi’s eastern district of Balaka for allegedly kidnapping and defiling a 14 year old girl.

Detective Sub Inspector Winstone Njolomole, says the suspects Rlanos Kapire 27, Kingsley Makwana 28 and Paul Mwaona 27 were arrested following a  tip on the suspected criminals who were allegedly hiding at a certain rest house in town.

“They then rushed to scene only to find Makwana with a young girl who was hidden under the bed”.

Njolomole said the suspects were arrested on defilement and kidnapping charges.

“According to the victim, the suspects abducted her as she was coming from her uncle where she went to collect money for mock examinations and they first took her to Rlanos shop before taking her to the rest house where they defiled her.”

Njolomole said Makwana told the police that girl was defiled by his friend Rlanos Kapire who by then was at his home and said he was left there to keep watch of the girl and give her food.

“This led to the arrest of the suspects Rlanos Kapire and Kingsley Makwana on defilement charges and results from medical examinations done at Balaka District Hospital revealed that the girl was really defiled.”

Njolomole said the victim was kidnapped again following the arrest of Kapire and Makwana and was locked and hidden in the house of Paul Mwaona, one of the friends of the two suspects a move he believed would force the police to release the suspects due to absence of key witness.

“But information of the missing of the girl reached the Police who arrested Paul Mwaona on charges of kidnapping contrary to Section 262 of the Penal Code and the girl was rescued,” says Njolomole.

All the three suspects are still in Police custody and are expected to appear before court soon.

Rlanos Kapire comes from Mbewe village, Traditional Authority Nkaya in Balaka district while Kingsley Makwana and Paul Mwaona come from Mponda village, Traditional Authority Nsamala in the same district of Balaka.