Police foil armed robbery, kill one

Police in Limbe yesterday thwarted an early morning organised armed robbery, shot dead one suspect and arrested five others in the process.

Six armed robbers had planned to attack Yihua Lin Investment Shop belonging to 30-year-old Chinese businessperson Lin Yihua at 7.30 am, but their mission was foiled after police intervened.

Limbe Police Station spokesperson Chifundo Kansunje confirmed the development, saying some well-wisher tipped off Criminal Investigations Department (CID) officers at Limbe Police Station about the plot.

Said Kansunje: “They [suspected robbers] planned to attack the shop at the time of opening. So, our armed CID officers camped next to the shop. And as the [shop] owner was about to open, the suspects ran after him and immediately our officers also responded.”

According to Kansunje, after noticing that police were trailing them, the suspects fled the place, prompting the officers to shoot one of them in the leg while the other five escaped into the crowd.

Police have identified the deceased as 38-year-old Amos Nahuwo. However, his other particulars were yet to be established. The other suspects, who were armed with a pistol, were arrested a few hours later following a man-hunt.

Kansunje described the deceased as “a notorious criminal” who was on police wanted list for being involved in a number of other fatal armed robberies in some parts of Blantyre.

The arrested suspects are Chipiliro Masiyea, 25 and Charles Bauleni, 30, both from Mulanje, Ndaipanji Chikopa, 21, from Zomba, Aaron Edward, 25, from Chiradzulu and Alex Kumwenda, 25, from Mangochi.

The gang was on police wanted list in connection with the armed robbery at Maselema in Limbe on January 30 this year where they attacked Desmond Sulunga and went away with K8.2 million (US$18 222). On the same day, the suspects also hit Limbe Tailoring Shop where they stole K843 855.

In December, police in Lilongwe also foiled an attempted armed robbery and shot dead two suspects who planned to attack a service station situated between the newly constructed Lilongwe West By-pass Road and roundabout and Gateway Mall.