Petroda heist suspects nabbed

Police in Blantyre and Dedza on Friday arrested three suspects allegedly connected to the killing of a police officer in last week’s armed robbery in Lilongwe.

Two of the suspects were arrested in Blantyre while the third was cornered at a relation’s home in Mayani, Dedza.

National Police Headquarters public relations officer Rhoda Manjolo confirmed yesterday the arrest of the three, whom she accused of being notorious criminals who have been causing havoc in the country.

According to Manjolo, when arresting the two suspects in Blantyre, they recovered two guns and several rounds of ammunition.

“It is true our detectives have arrested three people in connection with the armed robbery at Petroda. In Blantyre two men were arrested and two guns were seized together with number plates for the cars that were used on the scene.

“The one arrested in Dedza was about to leave for South Africa. When he discovered that he was being followed, he came out of the house through the roof and hid in a sack. His movements attracted barking of dogs, which in turn attracted the attention of the police who promptly shot and disabled the suspect,” said Manjolo.

She added that the alleged mastermind of the robbery is still at large.

Manjolo commended the public for giving police information which has led to the arrest of the three suspected robbers. She, however, refused to give details of the suspects for fear of jeopardising investigations.

Nation on Sunday’s visit to Kamuzu Central Hospital coincided with the arrival of the suspect caught in Dedza, who, in his barely audible voice, said the pain in his abdomen was excruciating.

“I am suffering heavily,” he said.

Earlier on the same Friday, police gunned down four other suspected armed robbers as they were about to hit Kanengo Puma service station.

The Friday incidents came barely three days after armed robbers shot dead a police officer and critically injured two others before making away with millions of Petroda Limited money meant for banking.

The Nation crew that visited the crime scene at Amina Roundabout soon after the incident counted over a dozen bullet holes on the Petroda vehicle.

Straight from stealing the money, the robbers hijacked a commuter minibus at Chitukuko in Area 15 after and forced out its passengers at gun point.

In an earlier interview, Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security Atupele Muluzi, said police were doing all they could to catch criminals that killed the police officer in the robbery at Amina Roundabout.