Police in Machinga have arrested two men for being found with fire arms and live ammunitions at the time when a teenager and two men were arrested for possessing ivory from elephants believed to have been killed in Liwonde National Park.
Police Public Relations Officer in Machinga, Constable Davie Sulumba confirmed the arrest of Mofolo John, 52, following a tip off from the public that he was keeping a greener rifle in his house.
The suspect who is from Makaluka village, Traditional Authority Sitola in Machinga was also found with two live ammunitions, according to Sulumba who said the suspect had already used ammunitions.
The police publicist said John’s illegal possession of the offensive weapon is contrary to Section 12 of the Fire Arms Act.
Police have since seized the greener rifle and is expected to be court evidence once John appears before a magistrate to answer charges of possessing offensive weapon illegally.
In a related development the police in Machinga have arrested White Makwacha 42 for possessing live ammunitions of an AK 47 and assorted medical drugs.
The police said Makwacha will answer charges of illegally possession of live ammunitions contrary to Section 5 of Fire Arms Act of and illegally possession of medical drugs contrary to Section 35 of Pharmacy Medicine and Poison Act.
Sulumba said Machinga police received a tip that Makwacha is a poacher and that he was keeping live ammunitions of an AK 47 and assorted drugs in his house.
Police and Liwonde National Park officials searched his house where they recovered the AK 47, 1,000 tablets of Cotrimoxazole, 1,000 tablets of Indometacin and 100 tablets of Amoxyline.
Makwacha is from Kalilima village, Traditional Authority Kalembo in Balaka and will appear before the court soon as the recovered ammunitions and the drugs will testify against him, according to Sulumba.
Both Sitola and Kalembo areas are very closer to Liwonde National park which is now under new management of the African Parks since 2015.