16 netted for loitering at night

Police at Kanengo in the capital, Lilongwe have arrested 16 people in a clean-up operation.

Information from the Malawi Police Service indicates that a team of police officers led by the Station Operations Officer for Kanengo Police Robert Taita arrested the 16 suspects after they were found loitering in different locations within Area 25, Kanengo Industrial Area, Area 49 and surrounding areas.

Police say the suspects who include 11 men and five women were arrested during odd hours after they had failed to give a proper account of themselves.

Police conducted the operation as one way of reducing crime in the area ahead of the coming Christmas and New Year Festive Season.

The suspects have been charged with an offence of Idle and Disorderly under section 180 of the Penal Code and they are expected to appear before court soon.

The operations follows a similar one which Criminal Investigators at the Station, led by Inspector Gertrude Honde, conducted on Tuesday afternoon, which led to the arrest of 8 people.

The 8 were arrested from a number of suspected criminal hideouts which were operating as shabins (beer drinking shacks) in different places within Kanengo Police Station’s area of policing.

One of the suspects identified as Dawusi Mchiya, 35, who runs one of the shabins, was also found with twists of Indian hemp which he was selling to his clients.