Two men are in Balaka Police custody for alleged possession of suspected stolen property, break-ins, and theft.
Balaka Police public relations officer Inspector Gladson M’bumpha identified them as Ayami Frank, 42, and Lanken Dafter, 33. He said they were arrested on Sunday, October 11, 2026, during a daytime intelligence-led operation in Balaka Township.
M’bumpha said police received a tip that the two were keeping assorted suspected stolen items in their house. Officers found a TV screen, four speakers, two plastic basins, a fan, two shaving machines, and a metal pot. The suspects claimed they bought the items from passers-by. A holding charge of being found in possession of property suspected to have been stolen has been opened against them.
In the second case, police found them with a duvet, blanket, scale, headset, Bluetooth speaker, and blower. They confessed to stealing the items from the shop of Francis Kabango, a businessman at Lime Trading Centre. A case file for breaking into a building and committing a felony therein has been opened against them.
In the third case, they were found with a wooden door. They confessed to stealing it from Boniface Mathews, a carpenter at Matola Trading Centre. They said they found the door outside the carpentry shop. A theft case file has been opened against them.
In the fourth case, they were found keeping a bicycle. They admitted to stealing it from the storeroom of Prince Dauda of Mthumba Village, Traditional Authority Sawali, in Balaka. They also admitted to stealing two more bicycles and a bag of maize from the storeroom. The complainant recovered one bicycle hidden at a nearby graveyard. A case of breaking into a building and committing a felony therein and theft of a bicycle has been opened against them. Paperwork is being completed before the suspects appear in court soon.
M’bumpha said the suspects led detectives to the scenes in the second, third, and fourth cases. They demonstrated how they committed the offences, including how they broke into the storeroom.
Frank comes from Kabota Village, Traditional Authority Kalembo. Dafter comes from Kalembela Village, Traditional Authority Nsamala. Both are in Balaka District.
