Japanese national robbed in bus

A Japanese national who works as a nurse in Malawi was on Sunday robbed of a laptop bag containing cash and items worth K2 million when she was travelling from Blantyre to Lilongwe.

The victim has been identified as Yoko Yamamoto, 40. The bag contained a laptop, hard disk, two credit cards, international driving licence, visa card, a fully booked air ticket from Lilongwe to Japan, $1000 and K400,000, all amounting to K2,075,800.

The incident took place on Sunday morning at Ntcheu filling station as Yamamoto was travelling in a 42 seater AXA coach registration number NU 8734 from Blantyre to Lilongwe on her way to Mzimba where she works as a nurse at Mzimba district hospital.

The bus stopped at the said place for a breather a development which provided an opportunity for the criminal to steal the bag when the owner forgot and left it inside the bus.

Soon after Yamamoto realised the missing of the bag, the passengers were counted and it was discovered that one of the passengers was missing.

While confirming the development, Ntcheu Police Spokesperson Hastings Chigalu said people travelling along the M1 road should avoid placing too much trust in people they are travelling with.

Chigalu noted that stealing fellow passengers’ luggage has lately been a habit among passengers travelling through the M1 route.

“Ntcheu as one of the districts along the district has lately been experiencing these cases. Police is reminding passengers that they should make sure that their luggage is safe and secure. Whatever circumstances may be they should not over trust a person just because they are sharing a seat with them.

“Never reveal to anyone what is contained in your travelling bags because people become tempted to steal from you. Always be cautious with the one you are sharing a seat with,” he said.

He also advised bus owners to put in place security measures in order to ensure that cases of the vice should be properly checked.