Couple Killed in Petrol Inferno

A 29-year-old man, Chipiliro Chimkwita and his wife, Fazida Chimkwita, 22, have died after their house caught fire on Saturday.

The fire was caused by petrol the couple was keeping in the house.

Dedza Police Station Public Relations Officer, Beatrice Jefita confirmed the incident.

It is reported that Chimkwita was involved in illegal selling of Petrol in small volumes.

"On the fateful day, around 9pm Chimkwita was refilling Petrol from a 20-litres jerry can while warming himself using a charcoal stove and the heat from the stove caused the jerrycan to catch fire," Jefita said.

She said postmortem revealed that death was due to suffocation secondary to severe burns.

The wife sustained injuries and was admitted to Kamuzu Central Hospital where she died on Sunday while receiving treatment.

The two were from Kachule Village, Traditional Authority (TA) Kachere in Dedza.

Teenager arrested in Phalombe for baby dumping

Police in Phalombe have arrested a 16-year-old girl for concealing birth of her newly born child.

Phalombe Police Station Public Relations Officer  Jimmy Kapanja said the suspect (Name withheld) hails from Mkhumba Village, Traditional Authority (TA) Mkhumba in the district.

He explained: "In mid-May, 2023 the suspect left her parents’ home and went to stay with friend at Sakhome Village, TA Mkhumba in the same district and did not reveal her status to the friend even her own mother before she left home."

Kapanga said the suspect stayed with her friend until Sunday June 11, 2023 when she began to act strangely which made her not to take supper and at around 9 O’clock in the evening, she started visiting the toilet frequently. 

Kapanja further said her friend's mother asked if she was sick but denied adding her last visit to the toilet which she took long than expected still surprised those that were close and followed her.

"To their surprise, they found the suspect lying helplessly on the floor closer to the pit with blood all over her body and suddenly they heard a cry of a newly born baby from the pit. People quickly went into the toilet where they managed to rescue the baby, " he said. 

According to the Police Publicist, the suspect and the baby are both admitted at Phalombe District Hospital for medical examination and treatment. 

He said when the suspect gets better  she will appear in court to answer charges of concealing birth.

Source: Linda Likomwa, Mana

Nkhata Bay Police launch manhunt for murder and arson suspects

Police in Nkhata Bay have launched a manhunt for a suspect who killed a 19 year old Abel Banda and unknown people who torched houses in retaliation to the murder.

Public Relations Officer for Nkhata Bay Police, Kondwani James said the suspect identified as Gift Kwenda aged 31, is alleged to have attacked Banda with a stone in Malengasanga village in the district for reasons yet to be known.

"According to a report filed at Chintheche Police Post, Banda was killed on 10 June in the evening while on his way from a drinking joint at Kachere Trading Centre.

"He sustained a deep cut in the head and died due to excessive blood loss whilst being treated at Nkhata Bay District Hospital, “James said.

James further said after the matter was reported to Chintheche Police Post, Police devised a plan to apprehend the suspect, who escaped following the incident.

"When the relatives of the victim learnt about his death, they ganged up and invaded Chivuta Village where the suspect resides and set five houses ablaze" he said.

He said police in the district have intensified investigations to trace and apprehend all the suspects and has since condemned the tendency by some people to take the law into their own hands, saying such acts negatively affect the execution of justice. 

Meanwhile, Traditional Authority Fukamapiri of Chivuta Village where the first suspect Kwenda hails from, has since pledged to help police search for all the suspects involved.

Court fines woman for sharing explicit content on social media

The Limbe Senior Resident Magistrate’s Court has ordered a 38-year-old woman, Mercy Majawa to pay a fine of K200,000 or in default serve a two months’ jail term for her involvement in the sharing of an explicit video clip of a fellow woman on social media.

Limbe Police Public Relations Officer, Aubrey Singanyama said the Majawa was apprehended on May 7, 2023 around Khama Trading Centre in Machinjiri Township following a complaint lodged at Khama Police Unit.

“Detectives swiftly acted upon the complaint, which alleged that Majawa had shared a nude video clip of a local business woman from the same area. The court heard through state prosecutor Inspector Grace Kanjiwa that the convict distributed the explicit video clip on church and school WhatsApp groups,” said Singanyama.

Singanyama added that during her appearance in court, Majawa pleaded not guilty and denied any wrong-doing which forced the state to parade two witnesses.

He said: “In her mitigation, Majawa asked for a lenient sentence, saying she is the first offender and that she takes care of nine orphans.”

However, in her submission, Kanjiwa, prayed for a meaningful sentence to deter would-be offenders, arguing that the offense committed was demeaning to women and that the convict’s action did not tally with her age.

Passing sentence, Senior Resident Magistrate Sajida Maiden ordered Majawa to pay a fine of K200, 000, or in default serve a two-months term in imprisonment with hard labour.

Majawa who has since paid the fine hails from Magombo Village in the area of Traditional Authority Machinjiri in Blantyre District.

Woman arrested for raping teenage boy in Nkhata Bay

A 34-year-old woman, Olivia Phiri has been arrested in Nkhata Bay District for allegedly raping a 17-year-old boy.

Confirming the arrest on Tuesday, Spokesperson for Nkhata Bay Police, Kondwani James said that the woman, is believed to have committed the offence on Sunday evening at Lisale Trading Centre in the district.

"It is reported that the suspect, who hails from Namaja Village in Mulanje District, is a neighbor to the victim, and on the said day, she asked him to escort her to an unknown destination.

When they were some miles away from the village, however, Phiri reportedly forced the boy into a bush and raped him," said James.

He said Phiri was arrested after the parents of the boy reported the matter to police.

A medical report from Nkhata Bay District Hospital confirmed that the boy's private parts were injured as a result of forced sexual intercourse.

Phiri has since been charged with having sexual intercourse with a male child under the age of 18, contrary to Section 138 Sub Section 2 of the Penal Code and is expected to appear in court soon. 

nine years imprisonment for housebreaking and theft

Mangochi Second Grade Magistrate Court has sentenced Kimu Davie ,49, to nine years imprisonment with hard labour after the court found him guilty of house breaking and theft contrary to Section 309(a) and 278 of penal code.

State Prosecutor Amos Mwase told the court on Thursday that the convict broke into the house of Ellen Naura and stole property  amounting to K751,000.

“On 19th February, when Mrs Naura went to church, the convict broke and entered the victim's house at St. John's Girls Primary School and stole one Lenovo laptop, Ecco plasma TV screen, one radio receiver, K86,000 cash and other items all valued to K751, 000,” said Mwase

Mwase also added that the police have recovered a Laptop and the Ecco Plasma from the one who bought the stolen items in the same district.

After the victim reported the case to Chimwala Police Unit, the police arrested the convict on the same day and he was later taken to Mangochi Police station.

Davie pleaded guilty to the charges and this prompted the court to convict him upon his own plea of guilty.

In submission, Mwase asked the court to grant Davie stiffer punishment saying, the offences were felonies and were on the increase in the district, adding that the convict planned very well to commit the offence. 

In mitigation the convict asked the court for leniency saying that he was first offender apart from being a bread winner in his family.

Passing the sentence, Second Grade Magistrate, Baxter Chikalimba said such offences bring fear to the public and this calls for custodial sentence.

“Such offences are rampant in Mangochi such that business people, foreigners and civil servants are becoming victims and these offences create fear and trauma among victims,” Chikalimba said, adding that the offenses committed are felonies

He therefore sentenced Davie to 81 months for the first count of house breaking and 27 months for the second count and that the sentence should run concurrently.

Kimu Davie comes from Chilunda Village, in the area of Traditional Authority Chimwala in Mangochi district.

Student commits suicide in Mwanza

A Form Four student in Mwanza has committed suicide by hanging himself to a mango tree branch in a maize garden at Benjamini Village in the area of Inkosi Kanduku Maseko in the district.

Mwanza Police Station Deputy Spokesperson Hope Kasakula has confirmed the development saying the boy was found hanging to a tree in a maize garden located near the school where he has been learning on Sunday afternoon. 

 “He was found by community members who informed the police.

“When medical examinations were conducted it was confirmed that the boy died due to suffocation as a result of strangulation,” said Kasakula.

He said it is not clear as to why the boy killed himself as investigations are underway.

Some rumours from unconfirmed sources indicate the deceased recently impregnated a fellow student, a development which they claim left him depressed.

Source: Brian Wasili, Mana

Two arrested for possession of a pistol and 70 live ammunition

Lilongwe Police Station on Wednesday February 15 has a arrested two suspects for being found in possession of offensive weapon (pistol) and 70 live ammunition without a permit at bwemba roadblock, Chinsapo in capital city.

Speaking with Malawi News Agency, Lilongwe Police Station Public Relations Officer Hastings Chigalu said the suspects have been identified as 20 year old Mussa Daudi and 43 year old Isaac Cheruka.

He said on the said date, the station detectives under the Kalikiliki Investigation Team (KIT) were on intelligence gathering patrols around Chinsapo location where they received a tip-off that a certain person was offering for sale a pistol.

He added that the team used the books well as one officer posed as a potential buyer who successfully approached and agreed to meet at Civo stadium for money to exchange hands.

“However at 14,00hrs just before the suspects could make it to the deal, the law enforcers ambushed them at bwemba Roadblock where the vehicle they were travelling in was intercepted,” he said.

He said upon searching the detectives came across the BNX075 pistol and 70 live ammunition hidden in the bag. 

“Meanwhile investigations are ongoing to examine the weapon and establish as to how and where they got the dangerous items,” Chigalu said.

He said Mussa and Daud and Isaac Cheruka who is an ex police officer will appear in court soon to answer applicable charges.

Mussa Daud hails from Mtalika village, traditional authority Nsamala Balaka district while Isaac Cheruka hails from Chipezeni village traditional authority Njolomole in Ntcheu district.

Girl 6 electrocuted in Salima

A six year-old standard one learner at Kambwiri Primary School has died after being electrocuted in Salima  district.

The deceased has been identified as Sarah Gift, from Malapa Village in Traditional Authority Kambwiri in the district.

According to Salima Police Public Relations Officer Jacob Khembo, in the morning of January 17, 2023 while at school,  the girl went outside the classroom to drink water at the nearby borehole.

"In the process, she mistakenly touched an earth wire which is connected to a faulty electric pole and she fell down, unconscious," he said.

She was rushed to Salima District Hospital where she was pronounced dead upon arrival.

Postmortem conducted at the same hospital revealed that the minor died due to electric shock.

Teen brothers arrested for murder

A 19-year-old student, Bless Nyirenda died on Friday at Mzuzu Central Hospital due to head injuries after being assaulted by two teenage brothers.

According to Mzimba Police Spokesperson, Sub Inspector Peter Botha, Nyirenda who was in Form 3 at Kamilaza Community Day Secondary School in Mzimba and the duo brothers picked up a quarrel at Kamilaza Trading Center where they were drinking beer on Wednesday.

“The quarrel ended up into a fight between Nyirenda and the two brothers. They overpowered Nyirenda as they heavily assaulted him using blunt objects in the head,” said Botha.

He said that well-wishers rescued Nyirenda, who later went to the Police before going to Mzimba District Hospital where he was treated as an outpatient.

"On Thursday, the condition got worse and was taken back to Mzimba District Hospital but was referred to Mzuzu Central Hospital where he died while receiving treatment on Friday," he said.

The two brothers have since been arrested and will appear before court soon to answer murder charges, which is contrary to section 209 of the penal code.

In a related development, Mzimba Police is on a man hunt for suspected assailants who murdered an elderly man, Jobin Munthali on Thursday at Euthini in Mzimba District.

Botha said that Munthali was found lying lifeless in a field by a woman who went to work in the field and reported the matter to Police.

Botha indicated that medical reports reveal that both Munthali and Nyirenda died due to head injuries secondary to assault.

Nyirenda hailed from Daudi Ziyanyumbo Village in the area of Traditional Authority (TA) M'mbelwa while Munthali was from Zoto Village under TA Chindi both in Mzimba District.