Police feel helpless on street kids terror

Malawi Police Service has conceded that it is struggling to tame street children who are unleashing terror mostly in the cities of Blantyre and Lilongwe.

In an interview yesterday, National Police deputy spokesperson Harry Namwaza said the situation is compounded by the fact that most of the street children committing criminal offences were mobile.

He said: “The children involved in criminal activities are mobile. When they are cornered by police, they go to another area. For example, we had challenges in Limbe, but now if you go to Limbe you will see that they have moved somewhere.”

Namwaza said police in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare are working to find a lasting solution to remove the children from the streets.

He said: “We will intensify patrols day and night in hotspot areas to arrest anyone involved in criminal activities. Just last night, we arrested nine [people] in Zomba and recovered various items.”

Police have since asked the public to report suspicious people, including street children they suspect are planning to commit an offence or pose a threat to people’s lives and property.

The street children are unleashing terror on people walking in the evening and early morning to their workplaces or learning institutions.

In Blantyre, most attacks have been reported between Chichiri Shopping Centre and Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (Mubas), formerly The Polytechnic along the Masauko Chipembere Highway.

There have also been reports of attacks near Keza Office Park, Limbe Market, the section between Kwacha Roundabout and Chinyonga as well as and Blantyre central business district.

On Sunday, Soche Police Station officers arrested a street child, who along with his colleagues, allegedly attempted to attack a man near Robin’s Park around 3pm.

Two weeks ago, two people died at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital after reportedly being attacked by unidentified assailants within the mentioned areas.

In Lilongwe, most attacks are said to happen at the Area 18 Traffic Interchange, Areas 2 and 3 as well as around City Mall.

Lingadzi Police Station spokesperson Salomy Zgambo said in an interview yesterday they have since January this year registered seven attacks and robbery cases around the Area 18 Traffic Interchange.

Mubas director of students Gertrude Sitolo said in an interview yesterday that both students and staff have fallen prey to street children’s attacks.

She said since July last year, about 33 students and two lecturers reported being attacked and robbed of electronic gadgets such as laptops and mobile phones.

Said Sitolo: “These are the students who reported the matter to police, but many students do not report and the number may be more than what we have.

“This has affected the students psychologically because they don’t know whether they will be reaching their destinations safely.”

Police have since asked the public to report suspicious people, including street children they suspect are planning to commit an offence or pose a threat to people’s lives and property.