19-Year-Old Nabbed After Allegedly Abducting Baby for Ransom in Mzimba
Published on March 19, 2026 at 2:55 PM by Edgar Naitha
Police in Mzimba have arrested a 19-year-old suspect, Maxwell Msimuko, for allegedly abducting an 18-month-old child from a nursery school in the Chimkusa area.
According to reports, the suspect went to the nursery and falsely claimed to be the child’s uncle, convincing staff to release the toddler into his custody.
Mzimba Police spokesperson Maria Banda said the suspect later contacted the child’s mother, demanding a ransom of K300,000 via a mobile money agent in exchange for the child’s safe return. He also allegedly threatened to kill the child if the money was not paid.
Authorities launched an investigation and, using call log tracking, successfully located and arrested the suspect. The child, who had been held for three days, was rescued unharmed.
Police say investigations are ongoing.
