Dowa police foils theft, arrests five

Police in Dowa have arrested five people for stealing 61 bags of soya meal cakes at Mount Meru Millers Factory in the district.

Dowa Police Station Public Relations Officer, Alice Sitima, said the suspects, four men and one woman, all employees of the company were arrested Monday midnight after police foiled a heist which was in progress and recovered the items worth K5,000,000.

“The factory’s Security Officer, Francis Zingunde, received information from a well-wisher about the suspects plans to steal from the factory. He subsequently informed police officers who were assigned on guard duties at the factory.

“Acting on a tip-off, police officers remained vigilant and organised premises patrols which led to the apprehension of the suspects while in the act at midnight,” she said.

Sitima said during the arrest, police recovered the 61 bags, of which 34 had already been moved outside the factory fence, awaiting collection by the suspects’ counterparts.

The suspects have been identified as Alinafe Maliseni, 25, from Kwelekwele Village, Traditional Authority (TA) Kabudula, Lilongwe; Elliot Charles, 24, of Mphazi Village, TA Kalumo in Ntchisi who is a contract supervisor; Pickson Longwe, 41, from Masini Village, TA Chitukula who is a security guard at the factory.

Other suspects are Wakisa Napolo, 24, from Kawiri Village and Moses Ng’ona, 43 from Kanjala village both in TA Mkukula in Dowa. The suspects will soon appear in court to face a charge of theft by servant.