A 29-year-old man has been arrested in Balaka after allegedly hijacking a motorcycle taxi driver at fake gunpoint, before spraying him with pepper spray and fleeing with his bike.

Kelvin Adimaki hired the kabaza motorcycle taxi last Sunday evening, agreeing to pay K17,000 for the driver to take him to Kapandatsitsi Village.

But before reaching the destination, Adimaki allegedly ordered the terrified motorcyclist to stop, before producing what turned out to be a toy gun in a bid to intimidate his victim into handing over the bike.

The ordeal escalated further when the suspect reportedly sprayed pepper spray directly at the driver, before speeding off on the stolen motorcycle and leaving his victim shaken in the darkness.

According to Balaka Police spokesperson Gladson M'bumpha, officers launched an intelligence-led operation that ultimately led to the recovery of the stolen bike and the arrest of Adimaki.

M'bumpha confirmed that the victim had since positively identified the motorcycle, helping to secure the case against the suspect.

The incident is likely to renew concerns over the safety of motorcycle taxi operators in Malawi, who frequently work alone after dark and remain particularly vulnerable to opportunistic robberies of this kind, often with little means of defending themselves against armed - or seemingly armed - attackers.

Adimaki is expected to appear in court to answer charges related to the robbery, as police continue their investigation into the incident.