A gang of unidentified robbers on Tuesday stormed and broke into Zomba City Council offices where they went away with different property and cash, authorities have confirmed.

Zomba City Council Director of Planning and Development, Fred Nankuyu told Malawi News Agency (Mana) that the incident occurred at night when the area experienced some rain showers and a blackout which the robbers took advantage of.

Nankuyu said no one was working at the office because everything in the affected offices was in topsy-turvy. He said a group of robbers comprising at least eight people invaded the civic offices after overpowering two security guards on duty.

“The robbers tied our two security guards who were on duty and broke into almost all the offices including the cash office, the Mayor’s and CEO’s offices,” Nankuyu said.

He added that the thugs stole four laptops from different offices, cash amounting to over K165, 000, some office files. He said some cash books were also missing.

“All the drawers and filing cabinets are upside down, a sign that the thugs were searching for something in particular where they managed to steal cash, laptops and office files and cash books,” he said.

He explained that the office was in the process of conducting an assessment to establish the extent of loss and promised to come up with a full report of everything that has been stolen.

When MANA contacted Zomba Police Station Public Relations Officer, Patricia Sipiliano on the matter, she could not neither confirm nor deny the incident to have taken place, but asked for more time to investigate the matter.

Apparently, the incident happened while the city’s mayor, Melia Douglas and Chief Executive Officer, Dyson Jangiya, were away in Lilongwe attending to official duties.

Meanwhile, some city residents have asked for strengthening of security in the city, fearing that the thugs may have come from outside the city.