Police in Zomba are keeping in custody a Malawi Defense Force (MDF) officer, Sergeant Blessings Chipatso in connection with a stolen pistol which was being offered for sale in Mangochi.

According to Eastern Region Police Spokesperson, Inspector Joseph Sauka, Chipatso gave the gun to a Mangochi businessman by the name of Innocent Harawa to sell it at the price of K750, 000.00.

“Police arrested Harawa on July 6, 2018 at Pep Stores in Mangochi after well-wishers tipped us that he was moving around with a gun,” he said.

After being questioned by Mangochi Police, Harawa denied that he owns the gun but rather revealed that it belongs to Sergeant Chipatso of Cobbe Barracks in Zomba.

The soldier was handed over to Zomba Police by Military Police after informing the department about the incident.

Sauka added that the Cobbe Barracks based soldier, Chipatso has been remanded to Zomba Maximum Prison and would appear in court soon to answer charges of theft by public servant while investigations would still continue to come to the bottom of the matter.

Meanwhile, his accomplice, Harawa has since been convicted and ordered to pay a fine of K400, 000.00 or in default serve three years in jail for possessing a fire arm without authorizing documents.

Harawa has since not paid the fine, implying that he will serve three years jail term