A prison warder at Zomba central prison is in police custody at Zomba for allegedly smuggling 60 Airtel simcards into prison cells.

According to police report by Public Relations Officer for Eastern region Joseph Ndasauka, the suspect “warder” Steven Ching’anda 35, connived with one of the convicts Goodson Mandala to smuggle the simcards into the prison cells.

“The information got into the ears of the police who immediately instituted the investigations which led to the arrest of the suspect on September 25, 2019 and recovery of the simcards that were already in the hands of the convict,” reads the report.

According to police  report, the investigations have also revealed that all the 60 simcards were registered using the National identity card in the name of Jafali Khupula by the wife to the convict who later surrendered them to police to deliver to her husband.

Meanwhile, police in the district are still investigating the matter to uncover the aim behind the syndicate, a case of introduction of prohibited articles into prison and abuse of office.

Steven Ching’anda comes from Jeze village Traditional Authority Mponda in the district of Mangochi and is currently remanded to prison.