5 arrested in AG office robbery

Five people have been arrested on suspicion that they broke into the National Audit Office (NAO) in Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe, and stole computers and other items.

National Police spokesperson Davie Chingwalu on Wednesday named the suspects as Kondwani Kubwalo (24), Emmanuel Jika (30), Hassan Bwanali (44), Chiyembekezo Kaiya( 32) and Aubrey Gama, 23.

Chingwalu said the suspects were arrested after a tip-off from the public and that some of the items stolen from the Auditor General’s office were recovered.

Among the recovered items were two men suits, a jacket, one laptop computer, two computer speakers, two pairs of shoes, six metres of cloth, chitenje and some materials.

“Investigations are still underway and there are more items that were not recovered,” said Chingwalu adding that the suspects were arrested last week by Criminal Investigation Department officers.

However, NAO corporate communications officer Thomas Chafunya said despite the robbery of computers and some documentation, investigations have revealed that the office did not lose vital information.

Chafunya said after the break-in, there was fear that the alleged robbers might have tampered with some valuable information on audits the office was conducting.

“I would like to assure the nation that after weeks of scrutiny, NAO has established that it is still in its possession all valuable information regarding all its ongoing audits,” he said.

Kubwalo comes from Mkozaalendo Village, T/A Sabwe in Thyolo whereas Jika comes from Mkumba Village, T/A Lundu in Blantyre and Bwanali comes from Chongole Village, T/A Mwadzama in Nkhotakota. Kaiya comes from Mbirimtengelenji Village, T/A Champiti in Ntcheu whereas Gama comes from Kampani Village, T/A Chapananga in Chikhwawa.