Lilongwe Police have arrested a 35-year-old man who steals money using Chimtambala trick, after rescuing him from angry people who wanted to burn him alive upon fishing him out of the river over theft.
Lilongwe Police Public Relations Officer,Hastings Chigalu has confirmed the arrest and identified the suspect as James Paulo.
Police officers who were doing patrols while in civilian attire, along Lilongwe River footpath which is behind the shops next to Wullian, bumped into the suspect who was in the company of six other accomplices.
Noticing that the suspects had hooked a potential victim who were about to steal K1.5 million from him using the dirty tricks, the Shire Bus Depot Police Unit officers confronted the criminals.
The cops intervention made the criminals to start running away which alerted other passersby to join the cat and mouse chase prompting the criminals to jump into the river.
However, with assistance of some people, police fished out the suspect who was hiding behind the reed inside the deep waters. Meanwhile, a manhunt for his six accomplices is still underway.
The suspect is an ex-convict who has fifteen years experience, stealing using the same tricks targeting unsuspecting victims who normally use the shortcut routes along the Lilongwe River.
James is in police custody and he will soon appear in court soon to answer a case of theft.
James Paulo hails from Kamwendo Village, Traditional Authority Chikowi in Zomba District.
