Police arrests gang members in Balaka

Malawi Police in Balaka district have arrested 14 members of a gang calling themselves Ziwanda crew.

The suspects who are aged between 13 and 17 were arrested after they assaulted a 17 year old girl at Majiga location in the district.

Balaka Police spokesperson Inspector Joseph Sauka confirmed the arrest.

According to the victim, a gang of over 20 pounced on her, and started beating her while others were touching her private parts but she managed to free herself after she cried for help and wounded one of the gang members.

“After the incident police managed to arrest one suspect who upon interview confessed that he is a member of gang calling themselves Ziwanda crew a development that forced the Police to launch a manhunt and managed to arrest the other members,” said Sauka.

According to Sauka, Ziwanda crew which was based at Mangerengere location is a gang of over 20 members of which 6 are girls and most of them are in primary school and only a few are in secondary school.

He added that the gang convenes day and night in uncompleted houses where they smoke Indian hemp, drink beer and do all sorts of nasty things; and from there they go to the streets at night where they beat up everyone they come across and cause public nuisance by shouting obscene words in the streets.

So far, Police have managed to arrest 14 members and are still hunting for the gang leader who is only known as Rasta Zibaba and the other members who have freed the area.

All the suspects will appear before court where they will answer a case of Indecent Assault which is contrary to section 137, sub section 1 of the Penal code.

*Additional reporting by Geofrey Banda