Swindler  ‘college  proprietor’  arrested by own students, handed over to police

Malawi Police are keeping in custody a  Mr Laisi  who is suspected to have robbed about 1500 people through what can be described as “well calculated trickery”.

Laisi operates what he calls CAVOk Haven International, an institution which purportedly trains people in Business Management and Community Development and then attaches the trainees to various workplaces.

The institution is reportedly having orientation centres at Likuni and Chiwenga in Lilongwe, Mchinji, Mzimba, Zomba, Dedza and Mponela in Dowa.

Laisi actually uses his “college” as a bait to robe his unsuspecting victims.

And it is some students in the current intake, reportedly the third since CAVOk Haven International started, who actually smoked the proprietor out of his hideout and dragged him to Kawale Police Station where he spent Sunday’s night.

There are least 500 students per intake.

Each student paid MK95 000 to undergo a six months training program at any of the facility’s orientation centers.

The victims initially believed that the “college” was an initiative which would bail them out from joblessness.

Apparently, Laisi reportedly launched CAVOk Haven International last December at a colourful ceremony which was held at Civo Stadium and graced by the Deputy Mayor for the City of Lilongwe.

The event was also spiced up with performances by well-known musicians in Malawi such as Thoko Katimba and Favoured Martha.

“After the launch, this dude promised to attach us to various workplaces which he did in January after we piled a lot of pressure on him.

“But we were not being paid. And when we tried to enquire his whereabouts, he told us he was in Netherlands seeking financial support for his institution. Somehow, we believed this,” said one student, speaking on strict conditions of anonymity.

The student continued, “later, he told some of our friends that he was in South Africa. He told others that he was in Zambia. It then dawned upon us that this man was lying to us.

“We started looking for him all over and we managed to locate him in Mitundu on the outskirt of the capital where he is building a mansion using the money he has stolen from us.

“This man is a thief and he must rot in jail. He has been doing the same thing to our friends in the previous intakes”.

There are fears among the victims that, Laisi -who is a suspected habitual criminal and well connected -may end upon walking scot-free because he may be capable of corrupting police officers with his ill gotten money.

There has been no immediate comment from the police on Laisi’s arrest.

Meanwhile, he has reportedly been moved to Dedza Police Station.