Fake Job Agent Arrested After Stealing Mobile Phones from Job Hunters

Police in Lilongwe have arrested a 40-year-old man, Alex Minjere, for allegedly stealing three mobile phones after posing as a job agent who promised to help people secure employment in the city.

According to Sergeant Khumbo Sanyiwa, Lilongwe Police Deputy Public Relations Officer, the incident occurred on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, in Area 2, where Minjere reportedly approached two young women searching for jobs. He allegedly introduced himself as a job agent and claimed he could assist them in finding employment at his company.

Minjere reportedly asked the women to surrender their mobile phones and remove their SIM cards, saying he needed the devices to process their job application forms because he did not have his own phone at the time. Later that day, around 17:00 hours, he contacted the women and asked them to meet him along Bypass Road. They declined, citing the late hour, and proposed meeting the following day instead.

On February 26, 2026, at about 07:00 hours, the women agreed to meet at the NRB offices. Upon arrival, the suspect allegedly demanded another phone. He then entered another office within the same premises, where a staff member recognized him as the individual suspected of recently stealing eight mobile phones from the office.

Realizing he had been identified, Minjere attempted to flee but was apprehended by members of the public and subsequently handed over to police.

Minjere, who hails from Mloma Village under Traditional Authority Mkaya in Balaka District, is expected to appear in court soon to answer charges of theft by trick.