JENDA, Mzimba District — Police in Jenda have arrested Steve Manda, a 33-year-old man, for posing as a soldier and deceiving people to steal money. Manda, who falsely claimed to be a member of the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) stationed at Moyale Barracks, reportedly scammed multiple victims, including his girlfriend, Annie Nyanda, an Airtel Money agent.
Nyanda reported Manda to the police after he took 1.3 million Malawian Kwacha from her, claiming the money was needed to repair a broken car in Chikangawa. Manda was arrested on January 3, 2025, at Jenda Trading Centre, where he was reportedly wearing military-style boots to enhance the authenticity of his fake identity.
According to police spokesperson McFarlen Msteka, further investigations revealed that Manda, a resident of Mzuzu originally from Rumphi District, was part of a network of fraudsters pretending to be law enforcement or military officers to extort money from their victims.
In an interview, Manda admitted to using emotional manipulation, particularly targeting women, to gain their trust and steal from them. He clarified, “I don’t break into houses. I use technology and make women fall in love with me to steal from them.”
Manda is now facing charges under Section 99 of the Penal Code for impersonating a public officer and Section 319(A) for fraud. He is expected to appear in court shortly.