Police in Lilongwe are keeping in custody 40-year-old Alick Mcheteta for transporting cattle believed to have been stolen.
Confirming the development, Kanengo police public relations officer Salome Zgambo said Mcheteta was found with the cattle on July 14 at Area 25 sector 6 in Lilongwe.
She said Mcheteta is a driver of a 2 tonner Toyota Dyna registration numbers CK 1485 who was hired by two criminals to transport the cattle.
“It is believed that the cattle were stolen in Bua and the thieves were using Nambuma road. Upon seeing that the cows were too weak to walk and that one of the animals died on the way, the criminals decided to go to Area 25 to hire a car to ferry them to their destination,” said Zgambo.
According to Zgambo, the hired car developed a fault which delayed the criminals and they only managed to reach Area 25 sector 6 at around 07:00 hours.
The driver was there waiting to be paid when the police appeared after being tipped by well-wishers.
The two thieves managed to escape but the police arrested the driver and confiscated the car together with the cattle.
So far a manhunt for the suspects is still underway and when found they will be brought to book to answer charges of theft.
In a related development, Police in Blantyre have arrested two men for breaking into two houses and stealing several items.
Assistant Public Relations Officer for Limbe police Widson Nhlane identified the suspects as Alfred Banda aged 32 and Francis Pangani aged 38.
Nhlane said the two on March 21 this year broke into a house in Bangwe and stole TV screen, DVD player, kitchen utensils, clothes and bed sheets.
“As if this was not enough the, two again broke into the house of another resident of the same township on March 23 where they went away with three generators plus three tins of paints,” he said.
So far all the items from the first case have been recovered and positively identified by the owner.
According to Nhlane, only one generator has been recovered from the second robbery case and officers are still following up the issue to recover the remaining stolen items.
The suspects will appear in court soon to answer charges levelled against them.
Meanwhile, police are thanking members of the public for feeding the law enforcers with information.
Alfred Banda comes from Mgunda village in area of Traditional Authority Nthiramanja and Francis Pangani hails from Chabwera village, T/A Mabuka both are from Mulanje district.
