A man claiming to be a pastor has been apprehended for allegedly fabricating a social media account impersonating philanthropist Dr. Triephornia Thomson Mpinganjira.
The 30-year-old suspect, Azimenye Michael Sikwese from Mzuzu, was arrested by detectives from the Cyber Crime Unit in Lilongwe, according to Sergeant Cassim Manda, the spokesperson for Lingadzi Police Station in Lilongwe.
The suspect is accused of utilizing the fake Facebook account to post derogatory content aimed at tarnishing Dr. Mpinganjira’s reputation.
Sergeant Manda highlighted that the motive behind the creation of the fraudulent account was to deceive unsuspecting social media users and gain more followers.
Investigations have revealed that the accused has multiple Facebook profiles, one of which claims he is a pastor. Lingadzi police urge anyone who has encountered similar incidents to report them to the authorities promptly.
Moreover, the police emphasized that using someone else’s identity without permission violates personal privacy and can have legal consequences.
Sikwese, a resident of Chinunkha village in Chitipa district, is expected to face charges of cyber spamming under Section 91 of the Electronic Transaction and Cyber Security Act of 2016.
