Two Nabbed for Illegal Manufacturing of Maize Flour

Police in Nkhata-Bay have arrested two men for allegedly producing and selling counterfeit maize flour, in violation of the Malawi Bureau of Standards Act.

The suspects, Jona Mwale (28) from Mchinji and Martin Soko (35) from Nkhotakota, were apprehended on January 31, 2025, following a tip-off regarding Mwale’s activities at Silva Wholesale in Mpamba Trading Centre, where he was reportedly selling fake fortified A1 Cream of Maize flour, a brand owned by Rab Processors Limited.

According to Nkhata-Bay Police Publicist, Sergeant Kondwani James, Mwale was found in possession of 9 bales of counterfeit maize flour, each containing 10.2 kilograms of product labeled as A1 Cream of Maize.

“Mwale revealed during interrogation that he was producing the counterfeit flour in collaboration with Martin Soko, who resides in Mzuzu. This information led investigators to Kaviwale in Mzuzu, where Soko was also arrested,” said Sergeant James.

During the arrest, Soko was found with 369 empty plastic packets bearing the A1 Cream of Maize label, a digital weighing scale, and an impulse sealer used for sealing the counterfeit packages.

Both suspects have been charged with manufacturing a commodity without authority, an offense under Section 29(1) of the Malawi Bureau of Standards Act. They are expected to appear in court soon.

Meanwhile, investigations are ongoing to identify and apprehend other individuals involved in supplying the suspects with the counterfeit packaging materials belonging to Rab Processors Limited.

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