Malawi Ombudsman’s armed robber on trial
The Lilongwe Magistrate Court has started hearing a case in which 35 year old Lex Chanza is accused of robbing Ombudsman Tujilane Chizumila by threatening her with guns and machetes.
It is alleged that the accused, Chanza, together with four others went to Chizumila’s house in Lilongwe where they went away with cash in foreign currency, K45,000 and valued electronic gadgets worth over K2 million.
Chizumila told the open court that the accused and his accomplices raided her house in the afternoon of April 21 this year, attacked the complainant’s maid and forced their way into the house before pointing guns at the complainant and her children.
She claimed that the four men entered her house through the kitchen door and that they did not put on any mask to conceal their faces.
However, the suspects gagged and tied the hands of the housemaid as they forced their way inside the house.
“They dragged the housemaid to where we were with my children, threw her down and forced all of us to lie down and make no movement or sound while pressing guns and machetes on us,” she told the court.
At this point, the accused demanded money from the Ombudsman and advised one of his accomplices to take her to her bedroom where they eventually ransacked the room in search for money.
“They brought my maid into my room and threatened to rape her, then brought in my sons and pointed guns at them before beating me and leaving the room,” she said.
Chizumila said the complaint then left the room and stole electronic equipment and cell phones that were in the sitting room and went away.
Some of the items that were stolen are a television screen, six cell phones, play station, a laptop computer and three car keys.
