Police in Mangochi have arrested two men for being for allegedly possessing a pangolin illegally.

The two are Witness Saikonde, 49, who is a Group Village Head (GHV) Maundu and Rashid White Jussa, 55, for allegedly possessing a pangolin illegally which is classified listed species as the possession is contrary to section 110 on National Parks and Wildlife Act.

Mangochi Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), Sub Inspector Amina Daudi said the two were arrested on October 24, 2021 at Mkambiri Trading Centre in the district after some people in the area tipped police officers at Masuku Police Unit that the two were on their way to sale the mandolin.

“During the arrest, the Police officers found the dead pangolin hidden in a black laptop bag of one of the suspects,” she disclosed.

Daudi added the two are from the area of Traditional Authority (TA) Bwananyambi in Mangochi and claimed that they took the pangolin from Mozambique and that it died on the way to Malawi.

The PRO said the two suspects would soon appear before court to answer charges related to illegal possession of specimen of listed species.