2 men arrested over K52m Capital Printing Press robbery
Published on April 8, 2025 at 9:03 AM by Edgar Naitha
Lilongwe Police has nabbed two men who were among a five member team of criminals that broke into Capital Printing Press offices at Area 4, and stole K52 million on March 11, 2025.
Police have since recovered two motorcycles, mattresses, among others, that were purchased using the proceeds of the robbery.
The suspects have been identified as Welford John, 29, and Sautso Mandala, 44.
On the said date at around 02:00 hours the suspects, while armed with panga knives and metal bars, invaded Capital Printing Press offices, tied up two security guards before breaking into the office where they dismantled a money safe, and went away with the cash.
Upon casting the intelligence net wider following the incident, Lilongwe Police detectives learnt that John arrived at his home village, Kandeu in Ntcheu, boastfully, and that he was spending money recklessly.
An undercover team of detectives that was later deployed to the Irish potato growing district on this mission, managed to locate John’s house, and apprehended him after a late night raid.
Upon being interviewed, John admitted to have been directly involved in the syndicate.
He further told law enforcers that from the robbery, he got a share of K8.5 million, of which K5.5 million was spent on the purchase of two motorcycles.
He then led police to Area 24 in Lilongwe, to a house of one of his accomplices Sautso Mandala, who is famously known as Tholo among his peers.
Too with Mandala, he voluntarily admitted to have been involved in the robbery and revealed to have taken a share of K13 million from the same.
He even told detectives that he used part of the proceeds to finish the construction of his house in Blantyre, among others.
Meanwhile, detectives have intensified manhunt for the three other suspects only identified as Patrick Mtengula, Douglas Mulumbe and Emmanuel Katsala who are still on the run.
They will all face robbery charges in court.
Welford John comes from Pamdule Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Njolomole, while Sautso Mandala hails from Chikadya Village, T/A Ganya, both in Ntcheu District.
