Police shoot two ‘robbers’ dead, recover goods worth millions in Malawi capital

Malawi Police on Friday night shot dead two suspected robbers in Area 36 Lilongwe, during a hunt-down for robbers who broke into Transcom Company premises and stole computers worth millions.

Kanengo Police spokesperson, Sub. Inspector Esther Mkwanda, confirmed the incident and disclosed that they also had two suspects in custody while one suspect escaped during the Friday night encounter.

Mkwanda said on the night of March 13 this year armed robbers broke into Transcom Company premises in Area 29 (Kanengo Industrial Area – Robert’s) and stole computers and other items.

Investigations on the breaking revealed that a guard at the premises connived with the robbers to steal the items from the transporting company, according to Mkwanda.

The guard was caught in Ntchisi where he had holed himself up after the March 13 operation and the police arrested him on April 20.

Mkwanda said upon interrogation, the guard, Sanudi Kalembera, revealed the whole plot and his information led to the Friday night man-hunt and show-down in Area 36.

“Our CID Officers traced the suspects and apprehended them in Area 36 while they were coming from another break-in at Nathenje Nasfam Depot where they had stolen similar items as they had from Transcom in Kanengo,” explained Mkwanda.

She added: “We caught them with the stolen items in their possession; they were four in number and during the encounter two were shot dead, one was arrested and another one escaped.”

Mkwanda identified the deceased as George Mainga Mideyo and Emanuel Manze Phiri. She said although full details of the two were yet to be established, Mideyo was a renowned hardcore criminal on ‘wanted-list’ by the police.

The police further identified the other suspect they arrested in the Friday night operation as 35-year-old Lawrence Peter, from Kainja Village TA Chauma, Dedza.

Peter and Kalembera the guard face charges of Breaking into a Building with an Intention to Commit a Crime, which is contrary to Section 311 (a) of the Penal Code according, to Mkwanda.

Kalembera, 29, hails from Chamama, TA Wimbe in Kasungu but according to Mkwanda, he gave his employer, Protelligent, false information regarding his home of origin.

The police have since recovered some of the items the gang stole from Transcom and Nasfam, Nathenje Depot which include 9 laptops, two printers, five sets of computers and a plasma screen among others.

The law enforcers have since appealed to all employers to scrutinize their would-be-employees thoroughly before taking them on board.

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