Two steal Catholic priest’s rifle

Police in Limbe have arrested two men for stealing a rifle belonging to a Catholic Priest.

The two have been identified as 28 year old Hassan Mukota and 27 year old Steven Chibwe.

They stole a gun belonging to a priest based at Nantipwiri Pastoral Centre in Limbe Township in Blantyre.

Limbe Police Station Public Relations Officer Patrick Mussa said Mukota and Chibwe were employed by the centre as houseboy and cook respectively.

The two took this as an opportunity to steal the rifle and later began offering it for sell.

“Limbe Criminal Investigation Department (CID) personnel were tipped that the suspects were selling a 2.2 rifle,” he explained.

After the follow up, police on Monday arrested one of the suspects at Misesa roadblock and the firearm with eleven ammunitions was recovered.

The other suspect was arrested on the same day at his workplace and both admitted to have stolen the rifle.

The two have since been charged with theft which contravenes Section 278 of the penal code. They will appear before court soon.

Meanwhile, police are urging members of the public to continue providing valid information to police which in most cases leads to arrest of suspected criminals.

Police have further appealed to those with licensed rifles to keep them in safe places.

Mukota hails from Kalimbuka village in Traditional Authority Chimaliro in Thyolo district while Chibwe comes from Kudzikuzi village in the area of Traditional Authority Kabudula in Lilongwe.