* One of the poachers, who was chased out of the reserve was found floating dead in the waters of Kuti dam
* Postmortem results conducted at Salima District Hospital established that the deceased died from suffocation secondary to drowning
By Pickson Chipeso, Malawi News Agency & Duncan Mlanjira, Maravi Express
Police in Salima have arrested seven people for allegedly setting fire to five tourism hospitality structures at Kuti Forest Reserve and stealing laptops, mattresses, cash and other household items.
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Salima Police spokesperson, Rabbeca Ndiwate says two suspects, Nenani Timothy, 19, and Yasini Stafford, 20, were arrested on September 26, 2026, while allegedly committing the offense.
She said the other five suspects, Misheck Letala, 24, Daniel Jamali, 19, Jelasi Chukumbutso, 18, Symon Gusumani, 20, and Andrea Sankhulani, 18, were arrested on Monday, October 5, 2026, during an intelligence-driven operation.
“It was on September 26, 2026, when the villagers became aggressive, stole various items and set on fire five glass thatched houses after one of the poachers, who was chased out of the reserve was found floating dead in the waters of Kuti dam,” she said.
Ndiwate said postmortem results conducted at Salima District Hospital established that the deceased died from suffocation secondary to drowning.
Ndiwate said the suspects, who hail from Traditional Authority Kalonga, will appear in court soon to answer charges of Arson and Theft.
She added that investigations are still underway to arrest more suspects and recover the stolen items and she also argued communities to refrain from taking laws into their own hands.
The beautiful structure down to the ground
According to reports soon after Kuti Wildlife Reserve was vandalised and fire-gutted to the ground, villagers surrounding the tourist facility encroach into the forest reserve to poach wildlife and steal trees.
On that particular day, Kuti Wildlife Reserve’s game rangers intercepted some intruders, who were professionally trained to protect the reserve, and they reportedly fired into the air to disperse the poachers.
One of them is alleged to have drowned in the reserve’s river as he fled but the villagers then took the law into their own hands by alleging that their relation was shot dead by the rangers.
Despite the rangers and management of Kuti Wildlife Reserve’s denial and explanation that the deceased drowned as he ran away from the scene they were spotted at, the villagers went ahead to torch down the facility’s huge investment.
The tourist facility has since been closed and by now the community must probably be on the rampage to cut down every tree available, including killing the wildlife — that include giraffes, zebras, sable, antelopes, over 300 species of birds, among others.
The incident happened two days after commemorating the World Tourism Day, which also marked the launch National Tourism Month.
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