Police in Chikwawa are keeping in custody Navaya Mainato, 45, for being found with items suspected to have been stolen from Conduril Construction site.

Chikwawa Police Station spokesperson Dickson Matemba has confirmed the development while disclosing that the police have also impounded two vehicles that carried the said assorted metals.

According to Matemba, the suspect he was allegedly being found in possession of metals suspected to have been stolen at Conduril Construction site in Kapichira.

He said the materials are meant for the construction of a canal under Shire Valley Transformation Program.

Matemba reported that the incident happened when Chikwawa Police officers were patrolling the Kapichira earth road during the night when they intercepted a Motor vehicle Probox registration number RU9956 carrying metals and when stopped the owner escaped and left the driver behind.

He said the driver was immediately arrested for further questioning.

The following day, Police went back to the place for scene visit and the driver of the Probox coincidentally identified the key suspect for the metal bars who was also in the motor vehicle using the same road, registration number BW3173, and Police intercepted it and arrested the man after searching in the vehicle it was also established that it carried other burglar bars.

Police say he admitted to having stolen the metals that were previously intercepted by the police.

Meanwhile, both vehicles are being kept at Chikwawa Police station and further investigations on the matter have been instituted to arrest more perpetrators.

Mainato hails from Nthukuso Village in the area of Senior Chief Malemia in Nsanje district.