Police at Muloza in Mulanje are keeping in custody ten people including six women for cultivating on Mulanje Mountain which is a protected area.
According to Sub Inspector Gresham Ngwira, public relations for Mulanje Police Station, the suspects include Dickson Madambo aged 61, Eluby Michael aged 46 both of Makuluni village and Timothy Paul aged 56 of Malunda village.
Mavuto Ntapunya, a forest guard, told police that on Sunday November 15, a team of guards was on patrol within Mulanje Mountain especially Muloza side. In course of their duty, they found the ten cultivating within the mountain.
Following this, the guards picked them to police and seized some hoes and panga knives.
The suspects will appear in court soon to answer a charge of cultivating in a forest reservoir or protected area contrary to Section 64 (d) of Forestry Amendment Act.
All the 10 come from Traditional Authority Njema in Mulanje.
