Mozambican, Malawian named as gunmen shot dead in Osman rescue

Malawi Police have named the two suspected kidnappers who were shot dead during the dramatic operation that saw British national Nusrat Osman rescued from her captors in Blantyre.

Inspector General of Police Richard Luhanga confirmed in a WhatsApp message that one of the suspects, 43-year-old Marcolino Munguambe, was a Mozambican national from Muhalaze, Matola, while the other, 44-year-old Limbani Anthony, hailed from Nyambi, Mkumba, in Mangochi.

The pair were killed in a fierce exchange of gunfire with police at Mpemba, near Chadzunda, during Thursday’s high-stakes rescue mission, which was launched to free Osman after she had been held captive for almost a week.

Osman, 47, was snatched by armed kidnappers from outside her home in Mount Pleasant, Blantyre, the previous week, triggering a massive nationwide manhunt and a hefty reward for information leading to her safe return.

The identification of the two dead suspects comes just days after police were forced into an embarrassing correction over the operation, admitting that only two gunmen had died in the shootout rather than the four initially reported in the force’s original statement.

Deputy Inspector General of Police for Operations Noel Kayira, who led the rescue mission, remains in hospital recovering from gunshot wounds sustained during the operation, with a string of senior officials — including Vice-President Dr Jane Ansah — visiting his bedside in the days since.