Malawi’s laws, including Section 44 of the Police Act and the Firearms Act, allow security agencies such as the police, army, and prison officers to use firearms in their duties.

These provisions also extend to private individuals and companies who may acquire guns for security purposes.

But while the Constitution emphasizes law, order, and human rights, villagers in Mulanje and Thyolo are living in fear, saying private guards are abusing firearms and turning them into tools of death.

Evidence shows repeated incidents in which security guards at the Chitakale Tea Estate in Mulanje and Amalika forest in Thyolo, owned by the Mulli Brothers Limited, have allegedly shot community members who trespass into the company’s forest—or, in some cases, merely pass by.

A Bullet in Her Lungs

One of the survivors is 47-year-old Stella Gama of Kumwamba Village, T/A Mabuka in Mulanje, who was allegedly shot by guards from Chitakale Tea Estate on June 11, 2025.

Today, a mother of four is nursing a bullet lodged in her lungs.

“I was walking with my sister from the forest where I had fetched firewood when the guards shot me. The bullet pierced my back and went into my lungs. Doctors told me it cannot be removed,” Gama told us, struggling to breathe.

Medical scans confirm the bullet is embedded 50 millimeters deep, causing life-threatening complications.

Mulanje District Hospital spokesperson Peter Nason confirmed the case.

Nasoni said: “She was indeed treated at our hospital and later referred to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital for specialist attention. But both hospitals concluded the bullet could not be safely removed.”

Assault, Death, and Fear

Gama’s sister, Tereza Magaleta, witnessed the attack and said it did not stop at shooting.

“After she crawled into the tea fields with the bullet inside her, the guards caught us and took us to their factory offices. They assaulted us and detained another villager, Butao Willy. Later, Butao’s body was found at the mortuary with deep cuts,” Magaleta recounted.

Butao’s death left his family devastated. A week after the incident, the sombre mood could still be felt at his home, Kumwamba village. The slain Butao survived by a wife and a child. His father, Clifton Jamali, says all they want is justice on the matter, saying his son, a former company’s worker, was brutally murdered in the Mulanje forest. 

His father, Clifton Jamali, said: “My son was a breadwinner with a wife and a child. He was killed just for fetching firewood. All we want is justice.”

A Pattern of Killings

Villagers say this is not an isolated case. Village Headman Kumwamba said her people have been living in fear for years.

“At least seven people have been killed by guards at Chitakale Tea Estate. Yes, some youth from neighbouring villages steal trees from the forest, but the guards have gone too far. They kill people instead of handing them over to the police.”

In October 2024, Elizabeth Hamilton, another villager, lost her son, Ganizani Waya, who was shot dead while collecting thatching grass.

“My son was the one feeding us, his wife, and two children. His life was cut short by the guards. We are still in pain,” she cried.

Police Response

Police have acknowledged the rising cases. South East Region spokesperson Edward Kabango confirmed arrests following the recent incidents.

“We arrested one security guard and charged him with murder. We remind all private guards that misuse of firearms carries full liability, including prosecution.”

Kabango added that private firms are required to pay an annual licence fee for firearms, during which police emphasize proper handling, “If they fail to comply, their weapons are confiscated,” he said.

Similarly, in 2023, police arrested seven security guards at Amalika forest in Thyolo, after they were accused of killing a villager who had encroached on the forest.

The alleged killing sparked chaos. Furious locals invaded the forest in retaliation, brutally murdering three of the guards.

Several arrests followed, and some suspects were convicted. But in the end, precious Malawian lives were lost—all because one guard carelessly pulled a trigger.

Calls for Accountability

Security expert Dr. Sheriff Kaisi said the private guards must undergo mental checks and thorough training before being allowed to carry firearms.

“Possession of lethal weapons comes with responsibility. Without discipline, we will continue to lose lives unnecessarily,” Kaisi warned.

Meanwhile, human rights advocate Robert Mkwezalamba urged authorities to act decisively: “The police must investigate all these shootings and make it clear to private firms that firearms should only be used as a last resort—never to punish or intimidate unarmed villagers.”

When we sought the company’ side on the incidents, its General Manager, Peter Mponda, declined to comment on the matter.

Beyond the Law

The killings at the Amalika forest in Thyolo and Chitakale Tea Estate in Mulanje paint a disturbing picture: private individuals taking the law into their own hands.

But, as the Constitution and global justice principles state, “Every person is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.”

For families like Stella Gama’s and the late Butao’s, justice feels far away. What remains are scars — both visible and invisible — left by bullets fired recklessly in the name of “security.”