By Shaffie A Mtambo
Manuel Mazoni, a 24-year-old ex-convict, has been arrested by Lilongwe Police for breaking into the house of Harpal Singh, an Indian national working with the Indian High Commission in Lilongwe. The brazen burglary, which occurred on December 27, 2024, saw Mazoni making off with a staggering haul of stolen goods valued at K14 million.
The stolen items included two iPhones, a laptop, an Apple iPad, a Samsung phone, a Bluetooth speaker, a wallet, and a purse containing K400,000 and K200,000, respectively. Mazoni’s nefarious activities were brought to light after a meticulous examination of the crime scene and a thorough analysis of the Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) footage.
What’s more alarming is that Mazoni has a history of criminal behavior, having been sentenced to prison in 2019 for breaking into the Malawi Electoral Commission offices and stealing computers. His latest arrest occurred in Area 36, where he confessed to committing the offenses.
Further investigation led to the arrest of two additional suspects, who were found to be in possession of some of the stolen items. One of the suspects revealed that he had sold the items to another person, who had since crossed the border into Mozambique. Police are currently working to recover the stolen goods from the neighboring country.
Mazoni, a resident of Chidothi Village, Traditional Authority Chakhaza in Dowa District, will soon appear in court alongside the two other suspects to face charges related to burglary, theft, and receiving stolen property.
