Mangochi Police Station Spokesperson, Sub Inspector Amina Tepani Daudi, who has identified the suspects as, Evance Matiki, 62, Grey Lihonga, 54, Gresham Chithambo, 49, Leonard Black, 42 and Mayeso Saulos, 40, said the five were arrested in the afternoon of Thursday, August 11, 2022, at one of the lodges within Mangochi town.

“On Thursday our Wildlife Crime Investigation Unit were tipped by members of the public, that the said suspects were possessing the prohibited animals at the lodge and they were looking for buyers," Said Tepani Daudi.

"Officers rushed to the place where the suspects were found in one of the rooms with two live Pangolins, which they are claiming to have acquired in Mozambique," added the Police Spokesperson.

According to Tepani Daudi, the first four suspects hail from Traditional Authority Mponda in Mangochi district while Saulos comes from Traditional Authority Nyambi in Machinga District.

Currently, statistics from January 2022 up to date at the station shows that they have registered 3 cases of Pangolin with 11 suspects arrested while a single case was recorded with two suspects arrested in 2021.