Police in Mangochi district have arrested two men on suspicion that they have been terrorising foreign and other business persons and robbing them of cellphones, laptops and cash.

The suspects have been identified as Kassan Omar, 31, from M’baluku Village, Traditional Authority Chowe and Muhammad Allie, 28, from Mwanyama Village, Traditional Authority Mponda both in Mangochi.

According to Mangochi Police Spokesperson Amina Tepani Daudi, from March to June 2022, unknown criminals have been committing serious breakings targeting foreign and local business owners in the district.

During the said period, a number of houses were broken into and the criminals went away with assorted cellphones, 3 laptops and K8 million cash.

On June 8, 2022, the criminals who were armed with panga knives and metal bars and using a dark blue unregistered VW Polo motor vehicle, broke into a house of a well-known Pakistan business man, Asif Malik. During the attack, the criminals tied the watchmen and assaulted the owner before breaking away with K350,000 and two cellphones.

Following this, Mangochi Police Station detectives invaded the ground and on the wee hours of June 9, 2022 intercepted the suspects in the said motor vehicle near Victoria Forex Bureau after their mission failed at one of the Asian national’s shop within the township.

The suspects were found with two sharpened panga knives, black head masks, 3 pliers, metal bars and other breaking equipments hidden in the motor vehicle which has also been seized.

Meanwhile the motor vehicle and panga knives have been positively identified by victims while one plier has been identified to have been stolen from one of the victims.

The matter is still under investigations to arrest their accomplices and recover the stolen property, according to Daudi.