The incident happened yesterday around 12:30 hours when 37-year-old Kenani Mundu of Emusa Village in Chief Magodi’s area was riding his bicycle carrying ten boxes of 300ml Master whiskey beer and cash amounting to 100,000 Malawian Kwacha, estimated at about K5,944.
Mundu was reportedly heading to Mbeteka to meet a customer, Ibrahim Nyirenda of Mbeteka Village, who had requested that the goods be delivered and the Malawian currency exchanged for Zambian Kwacha.
According to reports, four men emerged from nearby bushes and intercepted him on the road. The suspects reportedly grabbed the bicycle and took five boxes of beer along with the cash.
After taking the items, the suspects fled into the surrounding bushes.
Mundu later contacted his customer, Nyirenda, who went to the scene. The two managed to recover the bicycle and the remaining five boxes of beer left behind.
Eastern Province Police Commanding Officer Robertson Mweemba confirmed the incident.
“The suspects were not armed but managed to steal the money and beer before running into the bushes,” Mweemba said.
He added that officers from Emusa Police Post under Lundazi Police Station visited the victim after the incident was reported at 17:10 hours yesterday.
“A docket of robbery has since been opened and a manhunt launched,” Mweemba said.
Among the ten provincial police commanding officers, the officer for the Eastern Province stands out as the busiest. This is largely due to the region’s frequent bizarre happenings, particularly among the Tumbuka people. By the way, my wife is Tumbuka, and there’s always light-hearted banter at home about these events. I have affectionately come to regard all Tumbuka as my cousins.
It’s interesting to note that in their culture, natural deaths are rare; any death is often associated with wizardry, and the percentage is higher than in most places. Imagine if Dr Mwizenge S. Tembo (PhD) were to settle in that area—any unfortunate events occurring there would likely be blamed on him! The Tumbuka never fail to entertain me.