Naperi is one of the most well-known urban area in the city of Blantyre and it has a lot of well to do people such as business people and company owners. People leaving in this area have been complaining about thieves disturbing thier peace since last year December.
Philip Kamwala not he’s real name who leaves in Naperi and during our interview said he was attacked at the beginning of this month by a group of men.
According to Philip, he was attacked outside of he’s house, he was calling he’s friend for a meet up.
When the thieves saw him that he answering a phone they started following him but he did not notice that those men were following him because it’s a road that people use so he thought the men were just passing by. Before he knew it, his phone was no the ground according to Philip he thought it was one of his friends that took the phone from his ear.
When he tried to pick the phone on the ground he so another man trying to pick up the phone too. The man took the phone but lucky enough Philip was able to catch him. He started fighting with the man to take back he’s phone but since the man wasn’t alone he gave the phone to one of his colleagues and there started runing away with the phone.
He started shouting for help since he was on the phone call with his friend who is also his neighbor his friend heard everything was happening and he came out to help him. They started chasing the thieves.
He also added that the time people were chasing the group of thieves people tried calling the police but they did not show up. After the incident he went to police to make a statement.
“Right now the case is in the hands of police”, said Philip
Faith Hiwa, a student at Malawi University of Business and Applied Science (MUBAS) is also one of the victims of this barbaric attack.
Hiwa stays in Naperi Studio K hostel around where Philip stays. She was attacked by two men as she was coming from Kamba market and that was around 6:00 PM the same time Philip was attacked.
“We are leaving in fear. Every time we go out we have to make sure we go back at the hostel in good time maybe around 4:00 or 4:30PM which is impossible because we are student and sometimes our classes end at late hours” said Hiwa.
Although Naperi has neighborhood and Police unit, thieves are still disturbing the area said Miss Zee from Zingwangwa who came to visit her baby sister at hostel on Saturday 23 March.
“The thieves smashed my wind screen when l was in my baby sister’s room and took my pace that had ATM cards,” said Miss Zee
Mr Kachikho not he’s real name is an electrician and has a shop in Naperi studio k said: “I am also a victim here. The thieves broke my shop and stole a TV and microwave. I was forced to pay back the owner of the TV and microwave since they brought them to me to fix but in the process the thieves stole them.”
“We are asking the police and the neighborhood to help us protect the area since it’s getting worse each and every day. We are living in fear since a day can’t go without hearing news about thieves attacking someone in the area “said Kachikho.
Kachikho further said that criminal cases are increasing in Naperi especially around studio k because of the hostel and bars.
“Thieves take those places as their hide out places, other thieves pretend to be like students and others like they have come here to drink.Life is real hard this days and a lot of people are jobless so the only option for them is stealing to survive since it’s hard to find job here in Malawi,” he added.
The thieves do not only steal night hours only but also in the after noon, Said one of the student at Malawi University of Business and Applied Science (MUBAS) Josephine Banda.
“It was around 3:00PM I was escorting my friend who visited me at the hostels and l did not close my room with keys just closed my door since l was around. But when l got back to the hostel and entered in my room l found out that my phone was missing.When l asked my roommate said she did not see it.
“But when l asked other people around the hostel, one girl said she so a strange man entering my room but he thought he was my friend and l concluded that his the one who stole my phone” said Josephine.
Effort to talk to police spokesperson on the matter proved futile.
