By Twink Jones Gadama
In a bizarre incident, a group village headman was arrested on Tuesday morning for allegedly stealing a chicken.
The incident occurred in Balaka district, where angry villagers assaulted the headman, identified as Kandengwe, before police intervened and took him into custody.
According to eyewitnesses, the villagers had been searching for the missing chicken when they spotted Kandengwe with the bird in his possession.
The villagers, enraged by the headman’s alleged actions, attacked him, forcing police to intervene and rescue him.
“We were looking for the chicken everywhere, and then we saw the village headman with it,” said one of the villagers, who wished to remain anonymous. “We were angry, and we attacked him. But the police came and took him away.”
The police confirmed the incident and said that Kandengwe is being held at Balaka Police Station pending further investigations.
“We received a report that the village headman had stolen a chicken, and when we arrived at the scene, we found him being attacked by the villagers,” said a police officer who was among the team that rescued village headman Kandengwe “We rescued him and took him into custody. He will appear in court once our investigations are complete.”
The incident has raised eyebrows in the community, with many questioning how a village headman could be involved in such a petty crime.
“It’s shocking that a village headman, who is supposed to be a leader and a role model, could be involved in stealing a chicken,” said one resident. “It’s a betrayal of the trust that the community has placed in him.”
The incident has also sparked debate about the role of village headmen in Malawi’s rural communities.
While they are expected to provide leadership and guidance, some have been accused of abusing their power and engaging in corrupt practices.
“This incident highlights the need for greater accountability and transparency in our rural communities,” said a local activist. “Village headmen must be held to high standards, and those who abuse their power must be brought to justice.”
As the investigation into the incident continues, the community remains divided on the issue.
While some have called for Kandengwe to be punished, others have expressed sympathy for him, saying that he may have been driven to desperation by poverty or other factors.
The case is expected to appear in court soon, and it remains to be seen how the judiciary will handle the matter.
