Bangula communities decry security lapse

Communities around Bangula in Nsanje District have bemoaned security lapse, calling the situation unfortunate.

Their concerns come a week after the murder of businessperson Amos Saeni, 26.

His murder stirred public uproar, as some quarters blamed the police at Chiromo for not responding on time during emergencies.

Speaking in an interview yesterday, Bangula Market chairperson Zaidu Atima said they were living in fear following the murder of their colleague.

He claimed that Saeni was the fourth person to be killed by unidentified assailants this year.

“One of our colleagues, Jafali Twaliki, reported the incident to police, but the law enforcers arrived at the scene late,” said Atma.

He said they have called for a meeting with the police, traditional leaders, Nsanje Lalanje parliamentarian Gladys Ganda and councillors to discuss the way forward.

Twaliki claimed that he travelled to Chiromo Police Post to report about the break-in at Saeni’s house and found three officers who told him to return and monitor the situation.

He said the officers reached the scene two hours later after the robbers had left.

Mlonda Ward councillor Hussien Ngwali said they engaged Police Headquarters in Lilongwe on the same issue early this year and they effected transfers and deployed new officers, but there is no improvement in terms of security.

“We ask the law enforcers to be proactive, especially during the festive season,” he said.

But Chiromo Police Post officer-in-charge Gerald Chiwanda said Twaliki told his three officers that Saeni was quarrelling with his employees and asked to return and monitor the situation.

“But another person called another officer who was not on duty and he was the one who assisted me to mobilise officers and visited the scene,” he said.

Chiwanda said they work every day with community policing members to ensure that there is security in the area and asked for collaboration from community members to prevent crime and save lives.