Police in Chilipa, Mangochi District, have launched a manhunt for a mechanic popularly known as Ashan Machine for allegedly stealing a Toyota Premio belonging to a local primary school teacher.
The suspect, whose full particulars are yet to be established, is accused of stealing a silver Toyota Premio, registration number BS 9919, owned by Enock Dawa, a teacher at Mtonda Primary School in the Chilipa area.
Mangochi Police Station public relations officer Amina Tepani Daudi said the incident occurred on Jan. 25, 2026, at Mtonda Village in Traditional Authority Mtonda.
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Daudi said the suspect and the complainant had been friends for a long time. On the day of the incident, Dawa asked the mechanic to repair his vehicle after it developed a mechanical fault.
“The suspect took advantage of the trust between them and claimed he needed to take the vehicle to Phalula Trading Centre for further repairs. The complainant did not immediately suspect foul play,” said Daudi
Daudi added that on Feb. 2, 2026, the two reportedly met again at Chilipa Trading Centre, where the suspect allegedly claimed he was buying spare parts before disappearing from the area.
Soon after, rumors circulated that the mechanic was planning to flee to South Africa, prompting Dawa to report the matter to Chilipa Police Unit.
“The following day, acting on information from well-wishers, police officers rushed to Phalula Trading Centre, where follow-up investigations led to the recovery of the stolen vehicle. The vehicle had reportedly been sold for K2.7 million,” added Daudi.
Police in Mangochi are continuing the manhunt and say the suspect will be charged with theft of a motor vehicle once arrested.
Police have appealed to members of the public with information that may lead to the suspect’s arrest to report to the nearest police unit.