Mob Justice Claims Life of Suspected Thief in Zomba

Police in Zomba are investigating the brutal killing of Francis Masiye, a 47-year-old man from Issa Village, Traditional Authority Mlumbe, who died after being assaulted and set on fire by a mob.

According to Zomba Police spokesperson Patricia Sipiliano, Masiye was first accused of being in possession of a stolen cellphone belonging to a fellow villager. He reportedly fled after being confronted.

Later, while allegedly attempting to steal from another household, Masiye was caught by members of the community. Upon his capture, the mob subjected him to a severe physical assault before setting him alight, resulting in his death at the scene.

Police retrieved the victim’s remains and transported them to Zomba Central Hospital, where a postmortem confirmed that he died due to extensive burns.

Authorities have condemned the act of mob justice and have launched a manhunt to identify and arrest all individuals involved in the killing.

The police are urging the public to refrain from taking the law into their own hands and to report suspected criminal activity through proper legal channels.