First Merchant Bank robbery prime suspect Malunga dies

Notorious criminal, Perekani Malunga who was arrested in connection to First Merchant Bank (FMB) MK90 million robbery, has died, police have confirmed.

Malunga was remanded at Chichiri Prison and died in the wee hours of today (Monday) at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH).

The ex-husband to Blantyre Police officer, Blandina Chanika was among the robbers who shot dead one police officer and injured two others in the K90 million heist at FMB Livingstone Tower Branch, Blantyre in December last year.

Deputy National Police Public Relations Officer, Nicholas Gondwa said Malunga was rushed to QECH on Sunday after complaining of Pneumonia.

”We are yet to get postmortem results, but prison officers handed him to us on Sunday after noting his condition,” explained Gondwa.

According to Gondwa, Malunga was expected to be in court Monday June 15, 2015 to answer to the charge of giving wrong information to law-enforcers.

Gondwe said: ” He claimed that he was a South African citizen, and his passport indicates that his name is Peter Douboneise while facts are that he is Perekani Malunga”.

Malunga was arrested after being identified by the FMB bank’s CCTV footage and one of the police officers who was shot during the robbery but survived.

Malunga was branded as a well known criminal by the Malawi Police.

He was identified on CCTV footage as he unlocked handcuffs from the shot police officers.

Reports suggests that the two officers were shot after they recognised Malunga among the armed thugs.

And, the guns and handicuffs used in the robbery are said to belong to Malawi Police.