By Sellah Chunda

Lilongwe, August 21, Mana: Police at Chitipi in Lilongwe have arrested three men suspected of stealing 300 bags of soybeans valued at K22 million from the Sunseed Oil Company warehouse at Airwing on August 19, 2024.

Police have successfully recovered 37 bags of the stolen soybeans.

The suspects have been identified as Lazarus Watson (31), Nickson Yekweliya (39), and Sungeni Mlangeni (21).

According to General Inspector Hastings Chigalu, the suspects, who were all casual workers at the company, allegedly conspired with the warehouse supervisor and six security guards to siphon the bags over less than a month this August.

When the property owners reported the missing soybeans to Chitipi Police, detectives launched an investigation that led to the arrest of the suspects. They were apprehended while offloading the recovered 37 bags at a warehouse in Mpingu on Monday.

Meanwhile, police are still searching for the warehouse supervisor and the six security guards, who are currently on the run. Efforts are ongoing to recover the remaining 270 bags of soybeans.

The suspects will soon appear in court to face theft charges.

Lazarus Watson hails from Nkhwazi Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Mabvere in Mchinji, Nickson Yekweliya is from Kamphinda Village, T/A Chitukula, and Sungeni Mlangeni is from Mphande Village, T/A Kabudula, both in Lilongwe District.