Two arrested for shopping using fake cheques

Police in Machinga district have arrested two ex-convicts for trying to buy stationery using fake bank cheques.

According to the Malawi Police Service, the two are Eddie Alex Luchunga, 48, from Chipanda, in the area of T/A Machinjiri in Blantyre and Evance Mikundu, 48, of Mitunda village, T/A Ganya in Ntcheu district.

Police said the two wanted to buy stationery from a shop of Peter Tandwe, 25, from Chabwela village T/A Sitola in Machinga using a Standard Bank fake cheque of Ridp EU.

It is said the owner of the shop was suspicious with the way the two suspects behaved upon reaching the shop. Tandwe told Police that the two looked to be in a hurry and kept looking afraid something  that made him smell a rat.

After receiving the cheque from the two, Tandwe checked it and noted it was fake. He observed that there were some features which were not appearing on the cheque that made it different from an original one.

He then informed some friends around the shop before they reported the matter to police who later netted the two.

Police have also impounded the motor vehicle which the two were using, whose registration number is ZA 4335 Opero.

Meanwhile, it has also been established that the suspects were once arrested in 2010 by Dedza police station when they wanted to steal from Dedza puma filling station.

Police records are also showing that the two have previously served prison sentences for similar offences.