Police in Mulanje have apprehended 16 individuals, including Group Village Headman Kumwamba, on charges of encroaching upon Chitakale Plantations Company’s forest reserve.
The suspects stand accused of engaging in unauthorized logging and timber felling, resulting in significant harm to the plantations.
Deputy Commissioner of Police, Stain Chaima, overseeing the South East Division, reported that these individuals hail from nearby villages and have collectively caused extensive damage spanning 64 hectares of pine trees and 20 hectares of bluegum trees.
In response to the escalating environmental degradation, law enforcement initiated a targeted operation to both apprehend the culprits and recover the unlawfully obtained wood resources.
However, the authorities encountered resistance from the encroachers, leading to destructive actions, including the intentional burning of roughly 2 hectares of Chitakale Plantations’ tea plantation.
The estimated value of the compromised trees, as assessed by Plantation Operations Manager Ajith Hewage, surpasses K500 million.
Source: Times360 Malawi
