By Rahim Abdul
Lilongwe Police has arrested four men suspected to be members of a notorious criminal syndicate in connection with a series of robberies that occurred in Area 1, Falls Estate in Lilongwe, where foreign nationals were targeted.
The suspects have been identified as Lano Banda,aged 27, James Banda, 32 years old, Gregory Makonokaya, 41years old, all operating from Bangwe and Ndirande townships in Blantyre, and Alfred Banda, aged 39, of Mgona location in the capital city.
Police have also arrested Steven Lackson, 25 years old, an IT technician based at Devil Street in Lilongwe, who was allegedly buying stolen property from the suspects and forwarding it to Blantyre for resale.
On November 18, 2025 during night time, the suspects attacked four Nigerian nationals who were residing in the same house and stole four mobile phones, HP laptop, a wristwatch and K6.1 million in cash. Police have since recovered the laptop and a cellphone.
In another incident, on November 26, 2025 at around 01:00 hours, the suspects, while armed with panga knives, attacked six Central Poultry Limited employees of Indian origin who were within the same compound.
The suspects stole three laptops, a cellphone, and cash amounting to one million kwacha. Two laptops and one mobile phone have been recovered.
Further, on November 29, 2025 the suspects attacked a Pakistani national and four other housemates, all Central Poultry Limited employees. During the attack, one victim sustained a fractured left arm.
The suspects went away with two cellphones and K695,000 in cash, among others.
Following the incidents, Lilongwe Police detectives gathered intelligence which linked the suspects to the robberies, along with two other accomplices who are currently at large.
The investigations led detectives to Blantyre, where Lano Banda, James Banda and Gregory Makonokaya were arrested. Alfred Banda was later arrested at Bwandiro in the capital city.
The suspects will be taken to court soon to answer multiple counts of robbery and unlawful wounding, while investigations continue to apprehend the remaining suspects.
Lano Banda comes from Kheleng’ende Village, Traditional Authority Nsabwe in Thyolo, James Banda hails from Msukwa Village, Tradition Authority Nsamala in Machinga district, Gregory Makonokaya is from Mitawa Village, Tradition Authority Mulumbe, Zomba, Alfred Banda comes from Chimwamkango Village, Tradition Authority A Mkanda, Mchinji and Steven Lackson is from Kumatenga Village, Tradition Authority Chauma in Dedza District.