LILONGWE (Maravi Post)—Armed robbers on Friday stormed Nkhoma Chipiku Store in the rural Eastern part of Lilongwe district where they shot the branch manager in a botched robbery operation.According to Police report, the Branch Manager was identified as a 36 year old Anania Kuonga who hails from Traditional Authority in Dowa.

The material facts surrounding the gun shooting and unsuccessful robbery operation are that four criminals armed with a gun invaded Chipuku shop at Nkhoma where the manager was shot on both thighs and wounded him on the head with a rifle bionet when the criminals were struggling to get cash chest keys.

The full facts are that the Branch Manager and staff were closing the shop at 17:00hrs Friday when four criminals came and introduced themselves as MRA officials and they wanted to check some shop items.

When the reporter noticed that they were note MRA officials it’s when they started struggling for the cash chest keys. Having wounded the Manger, they also attacked the Clerk, a 24 year old Peter Phiri.

“After failing to steal from the shop they left the crime scene on their motor vehicle ipsum blue in colour reg. No BS 1218 and were heading to area 23 township. Upon the police receiving the information, a follow up was made and were arrested as they were joining area 23 tarmac road” reads the police report.

It is when the criminals were arrested. One of the criminals was identified as No 14726 Sergeant Noel Kabango, aged 30yrs. He hails from Njombula Village T/A Njombwa in Kasungu district. He is a serving officer at Malawi Defence Force, Mveral support battalion but currently studying at Exploits University in Lilongwe.

The second one is Nickson Banda, aged 35yrs, Village Mtupanyama,  T/A Likoswe in Chiradzulo District.  The third one is Lyton Nang ‘ omba, 25yrs from Jailosi Village, T/A Chikowi in Zomba district and the last one is a 20 year old Jafali Bashiri from Mjini Village, T/A Tambala in Dedza district.

Police say that “one SMG type of riffle no 59735 with 19 rounds of ammunitions and two bionets and one dozen of Protex soap which is believed to have been stolen from the shop has also been recovered.”

Kabango has ever been dispatched to the United Nations Mission as seen in the picture.