A 20-year-old man, Edgar Jimmy is in police custody in Lilongwe after allegedly stealing handbags and other valuables from bereaved families by posing as a relative of the deceased at Kamuzu Central Hospital mortuary.Â
Police arrested him on July 21, 2026, at the mortuary after a victim recognized him and alerted officers as he allegedly attempted to use the same trick again.
According to Lilongwe Police Station Deputy Public Relations Officer Sergeant Khumbo Sanyiwa, investigations revealed that the suspect had been targeting grieving families by blending in with mourners before stealing their belongings. Officers believe he committed several similar offences at Kamuzu Central Hospital mortuary and funerals.
Sanyiwa added that, one of the incidents occurred on December 24, 2025, at around 1:00 p.m when Jimmy allegedly posed as a member of a bereaved family at the mortuary and stole a handbag containing two mobile phones a Redmi A10 and an Itel S18.
The suspect's alleged crime spree ended when a previous victim, who had returned to the mortuary following the death of a close relative, recognized him and immediately alerted officers, leading to his arrest.
Jimmy remains in police custody and is expected to appear before court to answer theft charges.
Lilongwe Police have since appealed to members of the public who may have fallen victim to the suspect through similar incidents to come forward and report their cases to assist withÂ
By: Jane Chirwa -Lilongwe
