3 men found guilty of damaging bank notes: Convicted

First Grade Magistrate Court in Chikwawa  has  convicted and fined three men after the court found them guilty of damaging bank notes by chewing them and pestering them on cold beer bottles at a drinking joint at Ngabu Trading Center in the district.

State Prosecutor, Sub Inspector, Amos Bruno Jobo told the Court that the three accused, Rodrick Bwanali,21, Dan Soza, 33 and Willy Paimva, 23 was seen in a video clip committing the offence  between July 13 and 14,2020 at Ngabu.

The three pleaded not guild before the Magistrate and this prompted the state to bring in two witnesses that testified against them as a video clip that circulated on social media was played as part of evidence against the three.

They were later found guilty for unlawful damage of bank notes contrary to section 54 sub section 2 of the Reserve Bank of Malawi Act of 2018.

In mitigation, each of the three asked the Court to be lenient saying they committed the crime under the influence of alcohol.

They asked the Court to consider their status saying they were students and were first offenders.

In his submission, sub inspector Jobo asked the court to give the three a stiffer penalty befitting the offence saying damaging the bank notes was a serious crime.

The Prosecutor said the Reserve Bank of Malawi spends large sum of money to replace damaged bank notes.

First Grade Magistrate, Gladstone Chilundu said despite the three being first offenders, the three committed a serious offence.

The Court convicted and ordered the three should pay K500, 000 fine each in default of 18 month imprisonment.

The Magistrate ordered each of the three to pay K100, 000 to foot the costs of the case according to Section 142 of the criminal procedure and evidence Code.

The three paid the fines and the additional K100.000.

Bwanali and Soza are from Robert Village while Paimva comes from Goma Village, Traditional Authority (TA) Ngabu in Chikwawa.

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