Mob destroys property for child abduction suspect in Dowa

An angry mob on Monday morning destroyed property of a child abduction suspect (name withheld) in Dowa.

According to Dowa Police Station officer-in-charge Owen Maganga, they received a report on Friday that a girl, five, (name withheld) did not return from school and could not be traced.

He said rumour went round that the girl was being kept in the house of a certain woman residing at the boma. Residents from the boma and surrounding villages went to the suspect’s house where they vandalised property and closed the Lumbadzi- Dzaleka-Dowa Boma Road.

Speaking in an interview Maganga said the police went to the suspect’s house where they conducted a search but did not find the child.

This, he said, did not satisfy the people who turned violent and proceeded to vandalise the suspect’s property.

Maganga said police fired tear gas to disperse the mob and rescued the suspect’s family.

So far, police have arrested leaders of the mob are keeping the suspect in custody for security reasons and further questioning.

Maganga said the mob leaders will appear in court soon to answer various charges.