A man aged 50 is in hospital in Ntcheu after his hands were chopped off by a sugarcane farmer.

The sugarcane farmer alleges that the man had been stealing sugarcane in a cane field in Kandota village, T/A Kwataine in the district.

The victim has been identified as, Wilson Zamayele, while the cane grower is a Mr. Molesi, according to Ntcheu Police Station spokesperson Hastings Chigalu.

Before committing the crime, police say, Molesi had demanded a sum of 50 thousand Kwacha from the victim’s wife in exchange for freedom.

Police have since launched a manhunt for Molesi.