9 Arrested in Mzuzu for Alleged Metal Theft
Mzuzu police arrest 9 with stolen metal bars from civic offices.
Mzuzu, Malawi-- Police in Mzuzu are keeping in custody Mustafa Ali, 50, of Changali village, Traditional Authority Chimwala in Mangochi, and eight others for allegedly being found with metal bars suspected to have been stolen from Mzuzu civic offices under construction, writes Staff Reporter.
It is reported that, on May 29, 2023, all workers of PLEM Construction Limited were knocked off the construction area, leaving eight guards now suspects at the site who were on the night shift.
At midnight last night, police received a tip from a well-wisher that a motor vehicle registration number BZ 9399 was transporting metal bars, which he believed to have been unlawfully obtained from the site.
Immediately, a follow-up was made together with police officers who managed to arrest eight guards and Mustafa Ali, who claimed that the 59 metal bars valued at over K2.4 million were bought by him from the guards, now the suspects.
Meanwhile, the vehicle and the metal bars have been detained, and the suspects will appear in court soon to answer charges.
The metal bars are suspected to have been earmarked to be sold to scrap metal dealers.
Constable Mercy Chitonde, Assistant PRO, Mzuzu Police Station, confirmed the arrest.
"We received a tip from a well-wisher that a vehicle was transporting metal bars suspected to have been stolen from the Mzuzu civic offices under construction. We immediately followed up and managed to arrest the suspects," said Chitonde.
She said the suspects will appear in court soon to answer charges of theft.
The metal bars are valued at over K2.4 million.
The incident has raised concerns about the security of construction sites in Mzuzu.
In recent months, there have been a number of cases of theft from construction sites in the city.
The police have urged construction companies to beef up security at their sites.