Murder of Indebank employee: JB meets Bvumbwe chief, community
President Joyce Banda has called for concerted effort between the Malawi Police Service, communities and community policing groups if issues of crime are to be reduced in the country.
The Malawi leader’s call follows the arrest of five suspects in a case involving the gruesome murder of a 51 year old Richard Nsamala, an Indebank employee at his home where his body was buried behind his Soche East house.
The arrest came amid complaints from the general public of a security laps that has seen an increase in criminal activities which the public blame on the removal of the ‘shoot to kill’ directive instated by the Bingu wa Mutharika administration, an order the current Police Inspector General Lot Dzonzi says is unconstitutional.
In her remarks at an audience with village headman Kadzuwa of Bvumbwe, Thyolo and his subjects at Sanjika Palace in Blantyre, President Banda asked traditional leaders countrywide to resist bribery and foster good communication between the Police and communities.
“If it was not for the bravery of village headman Kadzuwa and the community policing group including other residents, the police would have struggled in capturing the suspects.
“I implore you chiefs to work hand in hand with communities in reporting all suspicious people and activities in your areas to the Police,” said President Banda.
Officer in charge for Bvumbwe Police Station, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Paul German asked his fellow police officers to regain public confidence through the assistance they render to their communities by responding expeditiously to their call.
He advised fellow Police officers to take interrogation of suspects seriously if they are to uncover the truth to some criminal activities.
“When we were called in to assist VHM Kadzuwa, we responded immediately and if it were not for our intense interrogation on the suspects, we would not have gotten to the root of the matter.
“Apart from having a good working relationship with communities, Police officers should know how to motivate their communities to ensure continued maximum support,” said German echoing President Banda’s call that chiefs should devote themselves to serving their subjects without being corrupt.
Commenting on the development, VHM Kadzuwa in whose village the suspects wanted to keep the stolen car blamed the laps in the country security on chiefs who do not report matters to authority.
“One of the suspects married one of my relations, but I rose beyond the relationship and reported him to Police due to conflicting statements they were giving.
“If all village leaders would report suspects to relevant authorities then the country would have been a better place to live in,” narrated Kadzuwa who alleged that he was offered a K15,000 bribe by the suspects which he refused.
On another note, Kadzuwa asked president Banda to consider refurbishing Bvumbwe Police Station so that it meets the needs of the communities it serves.
In response, President Banda assured the chief and his subjects that the matter was already in her plans.
The Malawi leader rewarded the village headman’s subjects with ten thousand kwacha each, money she advised them to buy farm inputs for the next growing season and solar lamps to the community policing group to assist them in their work.
The suspects who are yet to appear in court include Timothy Sinalo, 26 of Mbenje village, T/A Mbenje, Nsanje, Alfred Mapira, 21 of Tambala village T/A Mabuka Mulanje, Alick Witness, 35 of Thom village T/A Lundu Chikhwawa and Kenneth Kimwanga, 23 of Kantimbanya village T/A Somba Blantyre and the deceased’s security guard.
Sinalo who used to work for the deceased, Richard Nsamala as a house keeper according to German claimed they killed the victim at night on Sunday, August 19 to implement their plan to get rich.
He told the Blantyre Magistrate’s Court on Friday that he killed Nsamala with his accomplice Kenneth Chimwanga with the sole intention of enriching themselves.
Sinalo and Chimwanga have begun serving their sentences for theft after first grade magistrate Edna Bodole convicted them on Friday on their own plea of guilt.
The court sentenced Sinalo to two years and four month simprisonement although he pleaded for leniency on grounds of being an orphan, a father of three and a husband. Chimwanga was sentenced to two years.
They will however also face murder charges.
Richard Nsamala was an employee of Indebank and hailed from Chimtedza Village, T/A Mloro, Nsanje.
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