A group of looters who broke into an Admarc depot in Zingwangwa Township in Blantyre last week made away with undisclosed number of ammunition, police have confirmed.
Pupils from some primary and secondary schools in the city marched peacefully in the streets on Thursday last week protesting the abandonment of classes by their teachers in a civil servants’ strike.
The protests was apparently infiltrated by onlookers later in the day, resulting in violence and looting in some parts of the city.
According to our sources, the rioters in Zingwangwa stole a box which is used as a safe for a rifle and ammunitions that Admarc security guards use in the course of duty.
“There was no maize when the rioters attacked and broke into the depot and stole a box which is used as a safe for a rifle and ammunitions that Admarc security guards use in the course of duty.
“There was no maize when the rioters attacked and broke into the depot which I believe was their main target.
“But we are informed that they found the safe box for the gun and probably thought it was a cash box, so they took it alongside other items,” said one source.
There was no immediate comment from Admarc officials on these reports.
However, Blantyre Police spokesperson Lameck Thembachako confirmed the reports, but said the ammunitions were just a few and not so dangerous.
“It is true that some ammunition were part of the items that were stolen. They are mere bullets for a pump gun and should not be cause for concern,” said Thembachako.
Apart from the gun safe box, the rioters also went away with empty sacks and a weighing machine
