Police in Phalombe have arrested nine men for digging a drainage across the newly constructed Zomba-Jali-Phalombe Road.
According to Phalombe Police spokesperson Innocent Moses, the incident occurred on January 15 around 09:00 hours along Zomba-Jali-Phalombe road at Mphulanya and Muzongwe villages in Traditional Authority Ndanga in Mulanje district.
He said the area has been receiving heavy rainfall throughout the night of Tuesday, a development that led to the bursting of the banks of Nakamba Stream thereby causing floods in households in Mphulanya village.
Some men from the two villages went to the tarmac road and started digging a drainage across the road so that flooded water should cross over the other side of the road.
Upon receiving such report, officers rushed to the scene where they arrested the law breakers.
The nine suspects will appear in court soon to answer charges of malicious damage leveled against them.
The nine are Dalitso Mitumba, 33, Feston Phulanya, 50, Frank Justain, 38, Brian Mponda, 18, Sautso Lucius, 24, Rogers Julius, 25, Goodwell Nyalugwe, 58, Phillmoni Katiwa, 51, all from Traditional Authority Ndanga in Mulanje district, and Kenneth Juma, 25, of Mumbuwa Village, Traditional Authority Jenala in Phalombe.
Meanwhile, Phalombe Police are advising the general public to seek advice from local leaders in their areas when they encounter problems to avoid such malpractice.
