Police in Mangochi-Monkey Bay are keeping in custody a former Malawi Defence Force (MDF) Soldier for impersonating a public officer and making off without payment contrary to sections 99 and 319(1) of the Penal Code respectively.
Monkey Bay Police Public Relations Officer, Alice Sichali has identified the suspect as a 30-year-old Andrew Mbera who was dismissed from MDF Marine on disciplinary charges in October this year.
According to Sichali, On December 11, the suspect came to Monkey-Bay from Blantyre with his girlfriend in a BMW motor vehicle belonging to the girl friend after lying to her that he was coming to the Maritime Forces for duties and the couple lodged in a one of the Rest houses in the area.
The publicist, Sichali further narrated that the duo picked a quarrel for the reasons best known to them which prompted the girlfriend to move out and left the motor vehicle with the suspect.
Taking advantage of his girlfriend’s absence the suspect hooked a prostitute then took her to a nearby bottle store where he left the motor vehicle keys as collateral after failing to settle a sum of K29, 000 for beers.
“On December 13, his girlfriend came back to take the motor vehicle but the suspect lied to have lost keys.
“The girlfriend reported the matter to Monkey-Bay Police Station who consulted MDF management who revealed to have dismissed him two months ago.
The suspect who also failed to settle accommodation bills, was found with MDF full kit in the room of the rest house when the search was conducted,” said Sichali
The suspect Mbera hails from Chonde Village in the area of Traditional Authority Nthiramanja in Mulanje District.