Carjackers arrested as police recover 2 vehicles

Police in Mzimba have Police in Mzimba have arrested a gang suspected to have been terrorising some parts of Central and Northern regions and stealing five vehicles.

Northern Region Police Headquarters spokesperson Peter Kalaya on Monday confirmed the arrest of six members of the gang comprising five men and one female.

He identified the suspects as Frank Makwinja (40), Billy Dhaka (36), Eric Phiri (47) from Mchinji, Size Mandala (38), Bright Harrison (32) from Kasungu and Mefa Govati, (22) from Traditional Authority Ganya in Ntcheu.

Kalaya said the six were arrested after the police in Mzimba went to some districts in the Central Region to trace the suspects.

He said they were following up on some vehicles reported stolen in Mzimba.

Govati was the first to be arrested after she was found with a Toyota Passo registration IT 5698 allegedly stolen from Gausi Khwima at Mzimba Boma, according to Kalaya.

He said: “The recovered vehicle was stolen after Frank Makwinja hired it from Mzimba Boma to Manyamula, but had his two accomplices, Billy Dhaka and Eric Phiri waiting. They were armed with iron bars and clobbers.

“The three tied Gausi with ropes after beating him and dumped him before they drove away to Mchinji, using bypass roads every time they neared police roadblocks.”

Govati’s arrest led to the arrest of the other five suspects.

Kalaya said some of the cars are suspected to have been sold in Zambia.

He alleged that Mandala, who owns two hardware shops at Kasungu Boma, was responsible for finding markets.