Robbers break into NBS Bank in Chitipa

Four unidentified armed robbers broke into a bank in Malawi’s Northern region district of Chitipa.

NBS Bank Chitipa service centre was broken into in the early hours of yesterday, but the robbers failed to steal anything after a security guard escaped and reported the robbery.

Chitipa Police Station spokesperson Gladwell Simwaka confirmed the incident in an interview yesterday.

“They jumped into the fence where they tied a guard, Benson Mwambene, and poured on him diesel to set him on fire. They tied the guard’s hands, but he managed to escape after the robber who was guarding him went inside the building to check on his friends.

“We were alerted, but the robbers escaped when we went to the bank,” he said.

Simwaka appealed to business owners to have better security in their business premises.

“There was only one guard manning the bank and the fence does not have security facilities such as a barbed or electric wire. That was why the robbers manned to get in. We have advised bank officials to have two or more guards,” said Simwaka.

Last week, robbers also broke into an Airtel shop in the same region at Karonga Boma where they went away with K7.8 million.

Chitipa and karonga districts are located at a distance of 313 and 217 kilometres respectively from Mzuzu city. n