Four men accused of a series of robberies in Mulanje District last week have been remanded in custody after pleading not guilty to charges of robbery. The suspects—Alex Charles, 32, from Naluso village in Mulanje, Patrick Luka, 28, from Welemu village in Thyolo, Aubrey Jimu, 35, from Dogo village in Nsanje, and Samuele Augusto Amadewu, 40, from Balandawo in Zambezia Province, Mozambique—appeared before the court today.

The charges stem from an alleged robbery spree that occurred on the night of November 10th to 11th, 2024, in which the four suspects are accused of targeting two prominent businessmen in the region. According to police, the group first broke into the home of Mjojo Mackenzie, a well-known businessman in Limbuli, Mulanje. They reportedly stole assorted property valued at K1.5 million, along with K866,000 in cash.

Later the same night, the suspects are believed to have gone to the home of another businessman, Dick Ngaiyaye, where they allegedly made off with K5 million in cash and K930,000 worth of property.

The police have confirmed that investigations into the robbery are ongoing. Sub-Inspector Morris Walumbe, the prosecutor handling the case, stated that further evidence is being gathered to strengthen the charges against the accused.

In a court session yesterday, First Grade Magistrate George Chimombo set December 3, 2024, as the date to begin formal hearings, allowing the police additional time to complete their investigations.

The suspects remain in custody at Mulanje Prison, with their trial set to continue next month.