Lilongwe, Malawi – A 20-year-old man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for robbing people at knife-point while claiming to be a dangerous scar-faced gang leader in Lilongwe.

Lilongwe Police spokesperson Hastings Chigalu, has confirmed the development and identified the convict as Shadreck Chimpeni who was arrested after ambushing two university students near the Lilongwe Bridge on September 16, 2024. He threatened to stab them and stole items worth K1.7 million.

Chimpeni allegedly declared the area as his territory, boasting that he had fought hard to become the leader of criminals in the area, earning his scars in the process.

In another incident, he reportedly forced a man to withdraw money from a mobile agent before taking him to a hidden location, robbing him of his suit, and leaving him wearing only an undershirt.

Following his conviction, the Lilongwe court sentenced him to 15 years in prison, aiming to deter similar crimes in the city.