Some Villagers have destroyed trees worth over U$ 500 million at Amalika Forest Reserve in Thyolo which is owned by business tycoon Leston Mulli.
Mulli, who is also the Managing Director for Mulli Brothers Limited (MBL), disclosed this after touring the forest reserve alongside the police, chiefs and community members.
He said the MBL has since reversed its decision of opening a factory at the Amalika plantation due to theft and vandalism; and instead the factory will be opened in Zambia.
“Our prime intention was to put a factory to be making matches and toothpicks but today we have rescinded the decision due to the continued vandalism and theft of our timber. As not enough, the communities are even killing our security guards,” said Mulli
The business tycoon Mulli, who runs a business empire with investments in tea, transportation, pharmaceutical items as well as farming, further said: “We have lost over 500 million United States dollars due to the vandalism as an investor we are disappointed, we cannot continue like this; we will open the factory in Zambia.”
He then called upon government security agencies such as the police to quickly act by arresting and prosecuting all people who have been encroaching and stealing timbers from Amalika Forest Reserve and other his plantations in the southern region.
Amalika Forest Reserve which is located at Bvumbwe in Thyolo district has a total of 456 hectares of blue gum tress and 120 hectares of pine trees.
