Security lapse: Armed robbers attack Polytechnic hostels

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Category: News Flash

Published on Tuesday, 14 August 2012 12:44

Written by Queen Nhlema

Three panga-armed robbers on Tuesday night broke into Chichiri hostels of the Malawi Polytechnic in Blantyre and stole goods and money worth over K1.3 million.

Police say the robbers also injured a fourth year student, Robert Mazoe, 24, in the boys’ hostel and proceeded to the girls’ hostels where they stole six laptops and seven cell phones.

Southern region police spokesperson Nicholas Gondwa said “investigations are currently underway”.

There have been not less than 22 murder cases that have been reported since issues of security lapse arose after the change of regime in April this year.

This means a minimum of one person is being killed every five days. Three of the 22 murders involve mob justice where residents took the law into their own hands and murdered suspects.

Various quarters have blamed the deterioration of security on the current government's reversal of the late President Bingu wa Mutharika's controversial order of shoot to kill criminals on sight.

However, Police Inspector General Lot Dzonzi has insisted that shooting to kill is a violation of human rights and the police are supposed to use professional skills to deal with crime.