4 Nabbed For Series Break-Ins Of Airtel Money Branches In Lilongwe

Police in Lilongwe have arrested four people on suspicion that they are behind a series of breakings, malicious damage of 10 Airtel money branch structures in Bwalolanjobvu and Malangalanga locations, and theft of aluminium bars worth over K14.5 million between March and April this year.

Spokesperson for Lilongwe Police Hastings Chigalu , has confirmed the arrest and identified the suspects as Imran Jafali, 23, Amon Alex, 20, Chisomo Gift, 19, and Mathews Malamuli, 17.

Chigalu added that law enforcers have also swiftly moved in to arrest four businessmen who bought the stolen aluminium bars from the suspects.

The receivers include Mike Gwaza, 28, Sheli Banda, 28, William Banda, 27, and Grant Mhango, 20.

In the latest incident, during the night of April 13, 2024 the suspects broke into the all glass-constructed Airtel Money structure in Bwalolanjobvu, destroyed the counter which is made of aluminium bars and stole the materials.

After their arrest the suspects, who are all street connected children, took police to all ten vandalized Airtel structures where they demonstrated how they committed the offences.

They later led detectives to four different individuals where they also revealed to have sold the aluminium bars at K2000 per kilogram.

Police have so far recovered 8.4 kilograms of the bars from the arrested businessmen.

Meanwhile, police have intensified manhunt for two more suspects only identified as Junior and Blessings, who are currently at large.

The four suspects, and the four receivers, will appear in court soon to answer applicable charges.

The suspects, Imran Jafali comes from Mwalambula Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Mazengera, Chisomo Gift, hails from Mchesi Village, T/A Tsabango, both in Lilongwe District, while Amon Alex is from Mbale Village, T/A Kalumo, Ntchisi, and Mathews Malamuli comes from T/A Chilusi in Salima District.