Malawi Police charge suspect with murder of Portuguese businessman
Malawi Police has pressed murder charges to a man arrested on Friday suspected to have shot dead a 69-year-old Portuguese businessperson, Serafim Fernando da Silva, outside his office entrance at Manja light industrial site in Blantyre.
Spokesperson for Blantyre Police, Elizabeth Divala, identified the suspect as 28-year-old Ziwani Jassi of Chiwalo Village, T/A Kapeni in Blantyre.
Divala said officiers nabbed Jassi following a tip from an informant.
“We do have one suspect that’s been charged with murder,” Divala told Nyasa Times. “Ziwani Jassi, we’ve charged him with murder and also another count of robbery with violence contrary to Sections 209 and 301 of the Penal Code respectively.”
Da Silva, 69, was shot at the entrance of his office in the township upon arrival from the bank where he withdrew about K2 million meant for his workers’ wages.
About five robbers reportedly driving a Toyota Corolla BS 9292 shot him in the presence of his wife and son and went away with K2 million.
The assailants are also said to have sprayed pepper in the eyes of the deceased’s wife in attempt to snatch her handbag which had the stolen cash.
According to Divala, police separately invited the deceased’s wife and son, who were present when the deceased was shot, and that they both identified the suspect.
Da Silva was a renowned contractor and an employee of Terrastone Construction Company.
Police are also investigating leads on the Jassi and his accomplices who are believed to be the same who also hacked to death a Rwandese national and attacked his family in Chigumula before stealing household property two weeks ago.
The robbers have reportedly been using two firearms and panga knives and driving a Toyota Corolla VVTI while changing number plates one of them being BS 9292.
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