NPL impostor journalist arrested

Police in Lilongwe on Tuesday arrested an impostor calling himself George Mhango of Nation Publications Limited (NPL) when he wanted to collect money from a clinical officer through false pretence.

According to the clinical officer, who asked for anonymity, he initially offered ‘Mhango’ a lift on Monday morning when he introduced himself as a journalist working for NPL.

“I was suspicious with the way he kept changing stories and when he said he wanted money from me for a project involving former State President Joyce Banda, I could not believe him. I decided to call one of my friends at NPL Lilongwe Bureau, who told me that George Mhango works and stays in Blantyre,” said the clinical officer.

He said he decided to invite police officers to be witness a staged handover of the money the man had asked for, so that they could ask him who he really was and what he wanted to do with the money.

After setting up the man, police arrested him at City Centre when he was just about to collect the money from the clinical officer.

In an interview, the impostor, who gave his real name as Yotamu Mhango, pleaded with this reporter not to write the story, saying it could damage his reputation.

He said he was very sorry to have created this problem and he blamed the devil for making him lie about being George Mhango of NPL.

“I am not George Mhango. My name is Yotamu Mhango. But I thought by using the name George, I will be able to get money from people with ease,” confessed Mhango.

Detective Martin Soko, who effected the arrest, said it was sad that Mhango decided to get money from people through false means.

“We decided to arrest this man to deter other offenders because impersonation is a crime punishable by law,” said Soko.