5 Malawi Police officers jailed 14 years… they robbed rest house guest of K450,000

The First Grade Magistrate Court in Chitipa has convicted and sentenced five police officers to 14 years imprisonment after being found guilty of robbing a guest who lodged at a rest house in the district of money amounting to K450, 000 .

The convicts are No A9845 Sub/Inspector Patrick Nyirenda , No A8336 Sub/Inspector Solemn Chunga formally PRO for the station , No A9088 sergeant Siza Hara , No A8026   Sergeant Khaza Kaludzu and No B2258 constable Mphatso Zinjani all from Chitipa police station.

The jam packed court sitting on Thursday before First Grade Magistrate Julius Kalambo heard that between the night of 22 and 23 March this year the 5 convicts broke into the rest house and hit the victim [ Meston Chiona 30 years of Mwandenga village in the area of Traditional Authority Mwakawoko in Karonga District ] on the head with a metal bar before robbing him .

According to court records the five pleaded not guilty to the charge of Aggravated robbery which infringes section 301[2] of the penal code leaving the state with no option other than parading 8 witnesses who testified against them bringing a total of 20 witnesses including those of the defense.

However, the presiding Magistrate, after critically analyzing the facts before him, said prosecution had successfully proved their case beyond reasonable doubt.

Senior Superintendent Christopher Katani prosecuting pleaded with the court to mete out a stiffer sentence on basis that, the convicts despite being the first offenders but they committed one of the serious offences in Malawi.

He further told the court that the government through the Inspector General of Police has been lamenting with the acts of police officers who commit criminal offences .

The prosecutor,said that it is sad to note that the people who were supposed to protect life and people’s property have become threat to the society by robbing them their money.

In mitigation they five asked the court to exercise leniency with them adding that locking them away would render their families and dependants to languish in absence of the breadwinners and that they have automatically lost their job.

The presiding Magistrate, in his ruling concurred with the state that the offence committed is a felony which attracts a capital punishment [Death/Life imprisonment]. He said that the law exempts first offenders from custodial sentence but there are some exceptional circumstances that the court can take into consideration like in the case that the offence was committed in a company, the money stolen was not recovered and that the victim was injured with a metal bar and was lack that he survived.

Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :

Sharing is caring!

Follow us in Twitter
42 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
MELINDA
MELINDA
8 years ago

Mbuzi zaku ma M.C.D.E zilibe ndi MSCE, ,DIPLOMA,DEGREE,nde mumati zizitani?maybe this time around kuli ATUPELE MULUZI,mulemba anthu ntchito potengera maphunziro.

Davie Mapwelemwe
Davie Mapwelemwe
8 years ago

a Police ambili amagwila ntchito yabwino koma ochepa mwaiwo ndi omwe akuwononga mbiri ya police Malawi muno choncho awa omwe apezeka olakwawa alandile chilanga choyenela nsinkhu wawo

Mtonga wa pa phata
Mtonga wa pa phata
8 years ago

Tazunzika ife ndi akuba all these years not knowing they are mbava za a police kutengela mphamvu kuti ndi asilikali. Mxi

Ku Limbe PMF aliponso amene akubera anthu mu dzina la police komanso ku limbe police station kuli langson mumufufuze. amawopsyeza anthu mwa kachere mu ngati zenizeni. Ali mmadzi.

Koma 14 years zachepa ikanakhala 20 i would have been happyier. Komabe well done a court. Akuti mabanja awo avutika, nanga amene amubera nkummenyayo?

amakhosi mukulugenzi
amakhosi mukulugenzi
8 years ago

Very sad news

akilen
8 years ago

He!he!he!!!!ulu!!!mwazichita bwino mbava zimenezi,this will set a clear message to their colleguese.

Mnunkhaludzu
Mnunkhaludzu
8 years ago

It is wrong these guys need to be punished but the sentence is harsh since its driven by their superiors! They are first offenders and its applicable to everyone regardless he/she is a policeman/policewoman. However, what were the grounds for them to engage in this malpractices? Very pathetic salaries from their paymasters. Address the problem from the root instead of only punishing struggling souls. Judges need to discharge their duties independent of any influence!

Brison Brainfast Mpoto Kasonda.

Congrats to mr Julious Kalambo you indeed fulfiling what God send you,that was one of the critical case since had many eye witnesses with different views but you manage,thanks for your profecianal.

Democrat
Democrat
8 years ago

Very harsh punishment if you compare with cashgate case punishments. Any way, because they assaulted some one as well. How do magistrates arrive at sentences ? Subjectively ?

mlomwe2
mlomwe2
8 years ago

dziko lapansi eeee ndiloopsa sungalimvese

Daniel Phiri
Daniel Phiri
8 years ago

I must commend the magistrate and police prosecutors in Chitipa for making sure their fellow officers are convicted for the crime. Here in the South, a police akhala akutibela koma sakumangidwa. Crime is rife in the South now because of the corrupt Mulhakho police. Government itself is sending wrong signals. Mulli has failed to pay back a loan of K5 billion and nothing has happened to him. Why can’t government seize his assets and sell his companies to recover the cash? Instead Givernment has decided to forgive him the loan. Amakala anthu wamba the Banks ask for collateral before giving… Read more »

Read previous post:
Reserve Bank slashes Malawi GDP growth rate forecast

The Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) has revised downwards Malawi’s national output as measured by real Gross Domestic Product (GDP)...

Close