Musician nabbed for selling counterfeit products
Police is Mchinji are keeping in custody local musician John Malunga who was arrested on Monday for allegedly selling counterfeit products.
Mchinji Police Station spokesperson Kaitano Lubrino confirmed the incident, adding that Malunga will be charged with intellectual property-related crime.
He indicated that police investigations established that the suspect was on contract with C & NF Company from Mulanje, which produces and sells a drug called Ruo Body Cleaner (Ufa wa mbatata).
“Bacause of his musical talent, the managing director of the company, Chrispin Jedegwa, hired the services of Malunga to promote their product. However, the owner of the company discovered counterfeits of the product, a development which compelled them to suspect Malunga of wrongdoing,” said Lubrino.
Acting on a tip off, police instituted investigations and seized the conterfeit products from the musician.
“Malunga admitted that he was involved in the crime of producing counterfeit products and selling them. He will soon appear before court to answer charges under intellectual property crimes when investigations are over,” said Lubrino.
Malunga, 36, comes from Kamitengo Village, Traditional Authority Mlonyeni in Mchinji.
Meanwhile, police are warning people who knowingly buy counterfeit products that the behaviour attracts major risks and consumers may become more vulnerable to face serious physical, financial or moral injuries, hence the need to report all perpetrators to police.
