At least five security guards have been killed in Malawi since January amid public concerns over security.
In a recent case in Balaka, criminals have killed a security guard at a coffin workshop where the thugs have stolen bags of cement, a gas cylinder and a wheelbarrow.
The killing has happened days after a watchman at a residence in Thyolo was also killed by thieves. Media reports indicate that the incident happened on the night of 15 February at Molande village in T/A Nchilamwera in the district.
Thyolo Police spokesperson, Amos Tione, said the guard identified as Mateyu Mchikocho was killed while on duty at a house.
The criminals bound the guard’s limbs and squeezed a cloth in his mouth before stealing the window frames. They then killed him.
On February 1, a 58-year-old guard identified as Felix Lungu of Kachenga village, T/A Kachenga, in Balaka was found dead on the verandah of a shop he was guarding.
Police reports indicate that unknown criminals invaded the shop he was guarding the previous night, killed him and stole his bicycle.
He was found in a pool of blood at the shop. Postmortem at Balaka District Hospital revealed that death was due to severe head injury.
In the wee hours of January 6, two security guards were killed while in the line of duty at Mchiliko village in the area of Traditional Authority Tengani in Nsanje district
Nsanje police spokesperson, Sub Inspector Zalakoma, identified the two security guards as Notice Aaron aged 45 and Lingi James, aged 55, all of Mchakalima village under Traditional Authority Tengani.
According to Zalakoma, the guards were severely wounded at a shop they were guarding. Nothing was stolen.
On Thursday, Malawi Police Service were forced to release a statement addressing public concerns over security after incidents where the police were targeted by criminals.
In the statement, Malawi Police Service Public officer James Kadadzera said they are aware of the public concern caused by some criminal incidents that have occurred recently.
The incidents include theft of a gun at Zomba Police Station and theft of car batteries from vehicles at Lilongwe Police Station.
