In an epic Hollywood movie fashion, four unmasked armed robbers on Tuesday twice attacked the house of former High Commissioner to Kenya, retired Brigadier Marcel Chirwa in Area 11 in Lilongwe.
They allegedly went away with K59 000 ($104) and various communication gadgets.
Chirwa said the robbers first attacked at around 7pm, just when the family was about to have dinner, and they returned at around 3am.
“We were at the sitting room, at around seven, when I heard a knock. Before I could check it out, I was greeted by four men—two carrying machetes, while the other two carried pistols. They immediately started demanding that I give them K2 million ($3 521).
“It was just my wife and I in the house. We told them we had no money. My wife had K15 000 [$26] in her purse, and I had K4 000 [$7] in my wallet, which they took. They later went to my car and got K40 000 [$70] which was meant for my workers,” explained Chirwa.
He further said the robbers, who did not conceal their faces, guarded him at the sitting room while they searched for the K2 million with his wife.
“When they realised that we did not have such money, they grabbed all Ipads, tablets and phones in the house. They then locked us in the bathroom. We only managed to get out of there two hours later,” he said.
According to Chirwa, the robbers returned at around 3.30am, but failed to get into the house as all the doors had been locked. But he said they heard footsteps and mumbling outside.
Police spokesperson Rhoda Manjolo confirmed the incident and said police are investigating the matter.
“We have police patrols around Area 11 and we hope to catch the thieves,” she said.
