Elephant Brutally Kills A Farmer Near Thuma Forest

A farmer in Salima district was brutally trampled to death by an elephant from Thuma Forest-the horrific attack has brought fear among people farming closer to the forest.

Police in the district identified the deceased as a 55 year old man Enuya Enali of Mkwatire village T/A Kambwiri in Salima.

Salima district police public relations officer, Sub Inspector Gift Chitowe, explained that the shocking incident took place near Thuma Forest Reserve in the evening of April 30 2016 around 17:00 hours.

"The deceased was in his garden slashing maize stalks when a charged elephant suddenly emerged and attacked him to death" said Chitowe while indicating that the deceased garden borders with Thuma Forest Reserve

He said people from neighboring farms who witnessed the incident tried in vain to prevent the attack by ringing bells and blowing whistles just to fend-off the animal and also to send warning to others about the incoming danger.

"One of the eyewitness said they saw the deceased trying to escape while shouting for help. They blew whistles and rung bells just to scare-off the elephant as well warning each other to run away. Unfortunately the elephant appeared too close from his behind and it trampled him" narrates Chitowe

Chitowe said the deceased was pronounced dead at the scene and he suffered severe injuries as his body was trumpled to pieces.

This is a fourth attack in a period of three years since the fence surrounding the forest was ransacked.

According to Chitowe, elephants from Thuma forest are on loose because the fence surrounding the forest was vandalized by communities around the forest who wanted an easy access into the forest to cut down trees for making charcoal.

Crocodile Kills Man, 4 Men Die When Boat Capsized In Lake Malawi

A Crocodile has attacked and killed a 21 year old man on Lake Malawi in Salima district. 

Police in the district identified the man as a Malawian national, Daniel Baitoni who after the attack went missing for more than 20 hours. 

"He was in the company of his friends on 12th October at about 16:00 hours. They were swimming on the lake at Kasache fishing beach where the attack happened" said Sub Inspector Gift Chitowe, Salima Police Public Relations Officer

Chitowe explained that while swimming, the deceased was suddenly grabbed by the  crocodile which carried him away vanishing from friends site. 

"He then went missing until the next day evening when his body was found by community members following intensive search and the dead body was found without both legs and arms." Said Chitowe 

The deceased hails from Sompho village of T/A Khombedza

Meanwhile Police in the district also says four fishermen have suddenly died after boat they were sailing developed a fault and got capsized. 

Sub Inspector Gift Chitowe said the 4 fishermen Jawadu Alli, Mdala Alli, Umali Imedi and Shukurani Matemba all from Nawanga village T/A Kulunda, in Salima district drowned at Nawanga fishing beach in Lake Malawi. 

"It is believed that the boat they were using sank because it had a hole which allowed water to enter into the boat. It is also believed that they were all asleep when the boat began to sink and their bodies went missing on 8th October till on 9th October" explained Chitowe

Young Fisherman Suffocates To Death In Capsized Canoe On Lake Malawi

18 year old fisherman has died in Salima district after the canoe he was sailing with friends capsized  on Lake Malawi.

Police in Salima district says the man identified as Adini Makwinja of Chidzanje village T/A Ndindi in the district disappeared under water for almost four days when efforts to locate his body failed.

The man drowned on 2nd October this year while in company of two friends at Malopa fishing beach in Chipoka.

"They went to Malopa in Chipoka with aim to fish but suddenly the canoe capsized due to heavy Mwera winds." Said Sub Inspector Gift Chitowe, a Salima district Police Public Relations Officer

Chitowe explained that after the accident the deceased went missing until 5th October where his body was spotted floating at Malopa beach but the body was already in decomposed state.

Two friends of the deceased man were rescued by other fishermen who saw the incident happening.

In other development

Police in Salima district have arrested 14 people during sweeping exercise over the week-end.

Sub Inspector Gift Chitowe, Police Public Relations Officer for Salima district says the on-going exercise being done day and night patrol is one way of making Salima District crime free.

He said police managed to arrest 3 were women who will answer charges of earning a living through prostitution while the 10 men will answer charges of Rogue and Vagabond and the remaining one will answer charges of operating illegal (unregistered) bicycle hire business.

Man Found With Government Drugs in Salima

Police in Salima District have arrested a man for being found in possession of medical drugs believed to be property of the Malawi Government.

Julius Maliyusi Simfoliano aged 42 from Chagontha village of T/A Kachindamoto in Dedza district is behind bars when caught red handed with medical drugs on Wednesday evening when Salima Police Traffic Personnel were in their usual checks along Salima- Nkhotakota road, but this time around near Salima Secondary School.

Salima Police Public Relations Officer, Sub Inspector Gift Chitowe said the man was found with 436 Bristers of LA (Lumefantrine Artemether) used for the treatment of malaria.

Chitowe says the man was in minibus from Benga in Nkhotakota on his way to Golomoti when police stopped the vehicle and found the drugs.

Sub Inspector Chitowe said the suspect told police that he bought the drugs at Benga trading centre in Nkhota-kota which led police to suspect that drugs must have been bought at Alinafe Mission Hospital at Benga. However such suspicions were dropped when police were informed by the Administrator for the hospital that drug stocks were intact. 

Now, police suspects that the ‘government property drug deader’, Julius Maliyusi Simfoliano must have bought the drugs at one of the hospitals in the town of Nkhota-kota. 

The suspect, Mr Simfoliano is expected to appear before Salima First Grade Magistrate Court soon to answer charges of being found in possession of medical drugs without license.

In a related development in Salima

Police in Salima district, Chipoka have arrested Tamandani Mchepa commonly known as T-Man, aged 35 for being found in possession of Marijuana (Indian Hemp).

The man was arrest when police received a tip that the suspect was travelling along Salima-Balaka road in a vehicle from Salima heading Mangochi direction while in possession of 4 bags of Marijuana, says Salima Police Public Relations Officer Sub Inspector Gift Chitowe.

Chitowe said the suspect got arrested at Chipoka Trading Centre and each bag of the illicit drug weighs 50 Kgs and will appear in court soon to answer charges of found in possession of Indian Hemp. 

Tamandani Mchepa (T- Man) hails from Bitchayi village of T/A Maganga in Salima district.

Father Murder His Daughter In Fight With Wife

A 23 year man is in police custody in Salima district for murder of five months old daughter during a fierce fight with his wife.

The man, has been identified by police as Madalitso Malowa of Kambwiri village T/A Kambwiri from Salima district and was fighting with his wife who had at the time carrying the baby on her back on Sunday, 17th May 2015.

According to Salima Police Public Relations Officer, Sub Inspector Gift Chitowe, Madalitso Malowa's punch which missed his wife, landed on the head of his five month old daughter who fainted on the spot.

Sub Inspector Chitowe says the child was rushed to Salima District hospital where she was pronounced dead.

The officer says medical officials said the child died due to head injuries.

The suspect will appear in court soon to answer murder charges says Chitowe.

Still in the same district

Police in Salima have embarked on a campaign on revamping community policing structures as one way of strengthening the security within Salima District.

Police Public Relations Officer for Salima district, Sub Inspector Gift Chitowe says, police in the district has put in on going programmes of revamping community policing structures, strengthening the weak as well as train the personnel on how they can effectively and efficiently conduct their duties.

Chitowe said when addressing the Station Executive Committee members over the weekend, Officer In Charge for Salima Police Mr. James Bwela who is also a Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police urged the public to work in collaboration with the police by reporting any suspected persons to police so that such criminals should face the law.

Two Suspected Poachers Nabbed, Found with Gun, Ammunition

Two men aged 30 and 32, have been arrested in Salima district for entering Thuma forest reserve with a gun for possible poaching mission.

Police Public Relations Officer for Salima district, Sub Inspector Gift Chitowe has identified the suspects as Alfred Leviasi aged 30 of Kaoche village from T/A Tambala and Kwetemu Kazola aged 32 of Jailosi village from T/A Kasumbi both from Dedza  district.

"Police we have arrested the two for conveying dangerous weapon into a protected forest reserve called Thuma in the night of 25th April 2015." Confirmed Chitowe

Sub Inspector Chitowe says the two, were arrested and have their weapon seized. He identified the weapon as Greener Gun and that four ammunitions were found which  police suspect that they were to be use for poaching. 

He said, it was the game scouts working within Thuma forest reserve who alerted police having spotted two men sneaking into the forest with a gun. 

"Their intention was to kill protected wild animals like elephants that are found in this forest" said Sub Inspector Chitowe

The two suspects will appear before First Grade Magistrate Court soon where they will answer charges of conveying a dangerous weapon into a protected forest reserve which is under Forest Act. 

"If found guilty are likely to face eight year jail term." Said Sub Inspector Chitowe

Salima Police Arrests 41 Children In 'Go Back To School' Campaign

Police in Salima together with Education, Social Welfare and Labour are in a campain 'Go Back to School' a campaign which involves sweeping exercise during night hours and stopping child labour.

Salima Police Public Relations Officer Sub Inspector Gift Chitowe says the joint force on this exercise aim at enrolling back some children who dropped out of school and to stop the malpractice of employing children to work in different parts of Salima particularly selling merchandise along the roads during late hours which is becoming a new attractive enterprise of young people in the district. 

Sub Inspector Chitowe says in the night hours of 22nd April police have already netted 41 school aged children found loitering and vending in some of the trading centres in the district and that parents and employers of these children have been cautioned to stop the malpractice forthwith or the law will take its course.

He further warned that if such parents and employers or any would be perpetrator of such malpractice is found guilty shall face eight year jail sentenced.

"We really want to end the problem in our district having seen the statistics of our registered offenses. It has been observed that most of the offenses like indecent assult of children and defilement cases which are very rampant  are a result of current trend where school aged children are found selling merchandise along streets during night hours, so this is making it simple for people using drugs and alcohol to take advantage of the situation to assault these children."

"This is a main reason why at the district council level, us police together with other departments of education, social welfare and labour to embark on stopping these children from being found along streets at night and get them back to school.” he explained

“So, currently we have arrested 41 children whom we have invited their parents and their employers. We cautioned them that nenever again send children to work at night hours and that every children must be at school else shall face the law and risks eight year jail term.”

"It is our hope that the current situation in Salima is ruining future of children, so we cannot wait and look as these children future is being spoiled. So we feel that time is now especially for the school dropout kids, that they can go back to school to make their future." Said Sub Inspector Chitowe