In Balaka, irate villagers have killed two men for suspecting them to have stolen a motorcycle from a Kabaza operator.
Balaka Police spokesperson Inspector Gladson M’bumpha says the incident happened on Wednesday at the Chamthunya trading centre in the district.
According to M’bumpha, the two deceased men, whose identity is not known approached a kabaza operator with a pretext of hiring a motorcycle for them to carry bags of fertilizer to Balaka township.
However, the kabaza operator asked to see the quantity of the fertilizer first before charging the hiring fee.
“It is further alleged that the motorcycle operator left his motorcycle to one of the deceased men and went to the place where the bags of fertilizer were said to have been kept.
“Whilst on the way to the place, one of the deceased started the engine of the motorcycle and when the other deceased guy who was with the kabaza operator swiftly returned and ran after his friend who later jumped on the motorcycle and rode off,” said M’bumpha.
The development angered the tax operator, who immediately mobilized his fellow kabaza operators and other villagers, and they managed to catch them.
The angry mob started assaulting the suspects before they were poured petrol and burnt them.
According to M’bumpha, dead bodies are being kept at Balaka District Hospital pending postmortem and identification as investigations are still in progress.
So far, no arrest has been made.
