Suspect arrested for theft and vandalism at Chikwawa Teacher Training College

Chikwawa, Malawi-Police in Chikwawa have arrested a man suspected of stealing and vandalizing electrical fittings at Chikwawa Teacher Training College (TTC), writes Mphatso Nkuonera.

The stolen electrical fittings are worth millions of tax-payers’ money.

According to Sergeant Dickson Matemba, the Public Relations Officer at Chikwawa Police Station, more arrests are imminent following the information they have gathered.

“We have already recovered some of the electrical fittings believed to have been stolen from Chikwawa TTC. This arrest will lead to more suspects being apprehended soon,” said Matemba.

The incident occurred on the night of April 14, 2023, prompting a shift in the opening dates of the college from May 1, 2023, to May 14, 2023.

According to the Ministry of Education (MoE), the rehabilitation of the vandalized property is underway and expected to be completed by May 13, 2023.

MoE issued a press release on April 27, 2023, titled ‘Change of Dates of Opening for Students Selected to Chikwawa Teacher Training College,’ confirming the incident and stating that it has caused significant damage.

“This change has been necessitated by the theft and vandalism of electrical fittings in all the ten (10) male hostels that occurred on the night of April 14, 2023. Rehabilitation of the vandalized property is underway and is expected to be completed by May 13, 2023,” reads part of the press release signed by the Secretary for Education, Chikondano Mussa.

Mussa further appealed to communities around all academic institutions in the country to have a sense of ownership and participate fully in safeguarding the learning facilities to prevent such incidents that disrupt teaching and learning.

“This is a very worrisome development and very retrogressive. It requires millions of kwachas to rehabilitate the vandalized fittings. Such huge resources would have been used for other equally important projects in a quest to increase easy access to education in the country,” Mussa explained.

The police have not yet divulged the particulars of the suspect arrested to avoid jeopardizing their investigations.