By Vincent Gunde
Five Malawian suspects who were arrested by Police in Dowa after being hired to kill a Burundian business woman at Dzaleka Refugee Camp are being remanded at Maula Prison.
The suspects were arrested following a tip off to CID Police officers that they booked a room at the Dowa Boma rest house waiting for their plan of action to be finalized.
Police after receiving the tip off, they rushed to the rest house to arrest the five and upon searching them, they were found with panga knives and other offensive weapons.
Dowa Police Station’s Publicist Sub. Inspector Alice Sitima identified the suspects as Wailodi Chiponda (26), Joseph Square (40), George Masaula (44), Burnett Kayesera (32) and Jefasi Chiza.
Sitima said the arrested suspects travelled all the way from Lilongwe hired to kill a Burundian business woman at Dzaleka Camp and by the time of their arrest, they had already identified the targeted house of the woman.
A source at Dzaleka Refugee Camp speaking on a strict condition of anonymity said, he and the woman targeted for death went to Dowa Police Station to identify the suspects and they failed to identify them as it was the first time to see and meet them.
He said the suspects had a picture of the woman targeted for death saying this surprised them questioning in themselves where they got the picture and it’s when they revealed that they were hired by a Burundian national Solomon Mugenzi promising them K15 million to share after completion of the set target.
The source said the woman broke into tears having recalled that Solomon Mugenzi lived with her as her own child and she used to refer her as mother taking her as her second mother in Malawi.
According to the source, a Burundian national Solomon Mugenzi is reportedly to be on the run, he is wanted by the police in Malawi for lots of charges.
The source said a notice was gone to the refugee community in the Dzaleka Camp alerting them not to engage in any business with Solomon Mugenzi, and if they see him, he must be reported to any nearby police station.
He said one Burundian business man lent him some money believing that he was like a brother but never paid it back, in 2020- 2021 he heard that Solomon Mugenzi hit a person with a car and run away saying every time he comes to Malawi, he flies to the nearby Airport and enters Malawi through unchartered routes.
