Police at Jenda in Mzimba have arrested Steve Manda 33, for personating a public officer as he was reported presenting himself as a Malawi defence force soldier from Moyale barracks and in the course fraudulently stealing money from people under false pretence at Jenda trading centre in the district.

Manda was arrested on the evening of January 3, 2025, after his girlfriend reported him to have duped her money amounting to 1.3 million Malawian kwacha.

It has been established that Manda convinced Annie Nyanda to believe him to be a soldier she later fell in love with.

On January 2, 2025, Manda told her girlfriend who runs an Airtel money kiosk that he had a breakdown in Chikangawa and needed 1.3 million to fix the motor vehicle.

Later on, she discovered that he had attempted to dupe other women in a similar way, he also convinced another woman that he was collaborating with the Officer In-charge Jenda Police on work issues, this prompted the woman to call him but the phone went unanswered thus when she rushed to Jenda Police station and made a report on the same.

Police detectives managed to trace him and was arrested within Jenda trading centre attempting to run away whilst putting on a military boot lookalike.

Investigations have also revealed that he is among those tricksters who pretend to be Police officers demanding money for Police bail at the station by calling relatives of the arrested suspects as he proudly indicated that he only steals through technology and by enticing women into falling in love with him not breaking people’s houses.

Manda has been charged with personating a public officer and fraud other than false pretence, against sections 99 and 319 (A) of the penal code respectively.

He will be taken before the court to answer his charges when all necessary paperwork is completed.

Steve Manda hails from Muwanga village Traditional Authority Mwamulowe in Rumphi district but currently residing at Chiputula in Mzuzu.