American pilot fined K3 million or year behind bars after landing at Malawi airport without clearance

An American national, Terry Lee Jennings, has been fined K3 million or a year’s imprisonment by the Blantyre Magistrate’s Court after landing his aircraft at Bakili Muluzi International Airport without following proper procedures.

Southern Region police spokesperson Beatrice Mikuwa told Zodiak Online that Jennings, who was piloting a plane that had flown in from South Africa, was arrested on Wednesday after landing at the airport in breach of aviation regulations.

Delivering the verdict, Magistrate Paul Chiotcha ordered Jennings to pay a fine of K3 million or serve a year in prison.

Jennings paid the fine, and the aircraft has since departed from the airport.

The plane had flown into the country to collect a foreign couple who had been on holiday in Malawi and were preparing to leave.