Five arrested for malicious damage in Mzimba

Police at Jenda have apprehended five people suspected to have maliciously damaged eight houses, a fish pond, about 30 apple trees fully grown, house utensils solar panels, maize, cassava farm and various properties worthy millions of kwachas on August 02, 2023 belonging to Suzgo Shaba and his brothers at Khosolo in Mzimba.

It is on record that Suzgo Shaba and his brother apprehended Nemon Shaba on August 01, 2023 whom they suspected of destroying their fish pond, whilst enroute to Police he was rescued by his brothers who were on a vehicle, the following day they went on a rampage destroying eight houses and other properties in the Chananga Shaba village in retaliation to the arrest.

It should be known that there have been land disputes in the family of the Shabas since 2017. Their grandfather married three wives and it is the Shabas from the first wife (The Mapila Shaba village) who do not want the Shabas from second and third family to own the land where they live now claiming it belongs to the first family. The Mapila Shaba are related to T/A Khosolo.

The arrested suspects are; Patson Shaba, Nemon Shaba, Andrea Shaba, steven Phiri and Mkakeni Shaba. All these are answering charges of malicious damage and theft which is against sections 344 and 278 of the penal code respectively and will appear before court in due course.

Jenda Police condemn the resort to mob justice, which is common in Mzimba, emphasizing its detrimental impact on the legal justice system and Police investigations. Further Jenda police advices chiefs in the district to handle land issues in right manner as their biasness could lead to untamed results as witnessed at Khosolo.