Police recover stolen bags of maize in Machinga

The 579 bags of relief maize that Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Councillor, Alexander Cosmas allegedly stole, starving real beneficiaries of Tropical Cyclone Freddy survivors, have been recovered.This is out of the total 588 bags that went missing.Liwonde Police spokesperson, Ngwashape Msume has told us that 513 of these bags were recovered at Namwera in Mangochi.She said they are yet to recover 64 bags while 11 others were found in the truck that carried the relief maize that Cosmas wholly diverted.Police said they have further gathered that Cosmas, who also chairs the District Risk Management Committee, sold the bags of the maize in question.“I cannot indicate identities of the buyers; and no further arrests so far have been made as investigations are still underway,” Msume said.Cosmas pleaded guilty to the theft charges after appearing before the court on Monday. The offence is contrary to Section 278 of the Penal Code. Police arrested Cosmas on Saturday. He hails from Watala Village in the area of Traditional Authority Mlomba in Machinga district.Rose Chipumphula CHALIRA