Police at Jenda in Mzimba have arrested Steve Manda, 33, for impersonating a Malawi Defence Force soldier from Moyale Barracks and fraudulently stealing money from people at Jenda trading centre in the district.
Jenda Police’s publicist, MacFarlane Mseteka, said Manda was arrested on January 3, 2025, when “his girlfriend” Annie Nyanda reported him to have duped her K1.3 million after claiming he had a breakdown in Chikangawa and needed the money to fix his motor vehicle.
Mseteka says the relationship between the two started after Nyanda fell for Manda because she believed he was a soldier.
Investigations reveal that he is among tricksters who pretend to be police officers demanding money for Police bail by calling relatives of arrested suspects. He indicated that he only steals through technology and by enticing women into relationships and not breaking people’s houses.
Manda has been charged with personating a public officer and fraud other than false pretence, against sections 99 and 319 (A) of the penal code respectively.
He hails from Muwanga Village, Traditional Authority Mwamulowe in Rumphi district but currently resides at Chiputula in Mzuzu.
