Malawi Police foil robbery mission in Blantyre
Police on Monday moved swiftly to foil a well-planned robbery mission notorious criminals intended to commit at Chichiri Shopping Mall in Malawi’s commercial city of city.
National Police publicist Peter Kalaya said the suspects are Brian Erick Banda, 40 from Mwandimba Village, Traditional Authority Njewa in Lilongwe, Richard Mzinga, 39 from Msandama Village Traditional Authority Nsabwe in Thyolo District, Petro Kambadi, 32 from Makonde Village, Traditional Authority Chimutu in Lilongwe, Martin Metson Phiri, 32 from Zazira Village, Traditional Authority Nkalo in Chiradzulu District, Oliver Maseko, 46 from Chamasowa Village, Traditional Authority Chimaliro in Thyolo District and Peterson Ranken, 52 of M’gona Village, Traditional Authority Tengani in Nsanje District.
Kalaya has said that the arrests signify how the police have intensified their operations after concerns from the public of security lapse.
He said five of the six were shot in the legs and buttocks and are currently out of hospital.
One of the officers, who carried out the operation, said after getting a tip, they arrived at the crime scene in private vehicles.
He said the robbers had intended to intercept a vehicle which carried cash for MyBucks Bank.
The officer, who spoke on conditions, said during the operation six robbers were arrested after exchanging fire them. But at least run away in one of the two vehicles they used for the operation.
He also said the criminals are notorious who have been terrorising people in the city.
None of the officers sustained serious injuries, but one of the officers survived a bullet which was shot through the window screen and shattered rear window screen in the process.
In his remarks, Blantyre Police Station’s deputy spokesperson Aubrey Singanyama said the arrest follows a tip they got that the suspects were planning to intercept a vehicle carrying cash for one of the banks at Chichiri Shopping Mall in the city.
Before the arrest, police and the suspected thugs exchanged gunfire. All the six suspects have been rushed to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre for treatment.
Meanwhile, Police have been commended for aborting the barbaric act.
Mwanasi Chaima Mwamasi Chaima wrote on Facebook: ”Well done our Police. You should have shot to kill them. They are giving us problems. This is what we call profession at its best.”
Patrick Kingsley Kapata also said: “ I pray that the doctor attending these robbers should go for a week errand forget them a bit and once he returns he should say “we tried our best”.
“If they were armed it means they were ready to take someone’s life. No need to feel sorry for them.”
Another comment from Chalimba Chali Dennis: “It’s the grace period when the cops can get a lot of important info from these thugs. And well to prosecute them.”
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