Balaka man gets 9 years jail term for theft at Mphwiyo house

May 25, 2015 Nyasa Times Reporter 33 Comments

The Balaka Second Grade Magistrate court in eastern Malawi has sentenced a 22-year-old man to nine years imprisonment with hard labour for theft.

Police Prosecutor Sub Inspector Getrude Chingolo Kafumbula told the court that the suspect John Bunaya 22, broke into the house of Mrs Gloria Mphwiyo and stole a mountain bike and 2 bags of maize valued to K43, 000.00 on 3rd March, 2015 during day time at Balaka Secondary School campus.

Kafumbula also told the court that the same suspect John Bunaya, broke into the house of Rachel Jiya, and stole a laptop computer, mattress, cooking oil and sugar valued to K320, 000.00 on 13th April, 2015 during day time at Majiga location.

“And on 13th May, 2015 during day time again at Majiga location, the same suspect John Bunaya broke into the house of Mr Daniel Pondani and stole a DVD player, 2 LG speakers, cooking oil and 2 cell phones valued to K100, 000.00,” said Kafumbula.

The suspect John Bunaya pleaded guilty to all the counts of house breaking and theft which is contrary to section 309 of the penal code and upon submission of the facts by the state, the court found him with a case to answer and consequently convicted her.

In her submission before sentence Sub Inspector Kafumbula asked the court to consider giving the suspect a stiffer sentence saying that the suspect is a threat to the society.

“The suspect is a notorious criminal considering the series of breaking offences he has committed. House breaking and theft is a serious offence which is punishable with death or life imprisonment. I therefore ask the court to give the suspect a custodial sentence considering that some of the goods have not been recovered,” said Kafumbula.

In his mitigation, the suspect John Bunaya asked for leniency when passing sentence saying that he is a bread winner for his family and that he looks after his aged parents.

Second Grade Magistrate Victor Sibu conquered with the state that John Bunaya is a threat to the society and deserves a stiffer sentence.

He said these days’ people are living in fear because of people like John Bunaya. He therefore sentenced him to 24 months for the first count, 72 months for the second count and 36 months for the third count and second and third count to run consecutively which means he will spend 9 years behind bars.

He said he has given him such a sentence so that it should be a lesson to would be offenders.

John Bunaya who is expected to be dragged to court again to answer the remaining four cases comes from Kandengwe village, Traditional Authority Msamala in Balaka district.

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33 replies on “Balaka man gets 9 years jail term for theft at Mphwiyo house”

  4. ma Magistrate ena ndi anzeru kuposa ma judge autsiru,adyera omwe amapereka zilango zochepa ,promote this Magistrate to a full judge.Thumbs up!kumeneko ndiye kubwera!!!that’s coming my magistrate!!!

  7. Namathanga Senzani koma nde 3 years for succesifully stealing billions of malawians not fair!

  9. Ashamed guy why don’t wark hard and get your own, it is better to increase the sentence other stupid people they must get leasson

  11. What a lenient sentence meted on this mafia? Condemn him to life imprisonment.If not , 22 years imprisonment with hard labour

  16. Muzilemba zanzeru osamachulutsa drama kape iwe.Tonse timadziwa Mphwiyo wake mbava uja ndiye title yakoyo nditchende la nkhani

  18. So the magistrate conquered with the prosecution. Koma abale I never thought education standards have gone down so low. And why is it that our justice system allows people to be punished for crimes they have never committed? Why do they sentence them “to set an example to would be offenders”? I think this is so very unfair. And has it been proved that “would be offenders” actually learn anything from these scary sentences?

  20. Ife timayesa Mphwiyo weniwenitu; you journalists need to be serious when reporting. This schoolboy approach to on-line journalism may compromise the quality of your on-line publication.

  23. He gets a total of nine years for breaking into 3 houses and not only Mphwiyo’s house. Anyway crafty way to persuade one to read the story!

  26. Be serious a Nyasatimes. When Phwiyos name is mentioned, by default what comes to minds of many is Phwiyo the thug. When I read the heading, I quckly said ATAMBWALI SAMATENA

  28. That’s typical of balakians.They are giving a headache to our albino brothers and sisters and now its breaking into other peoples houses.They like easy money and overnight riches.Thanks police for arresting this thug.

  29. Komatu Mphwiyo ali pa mavuto… Yekha kuomberedwa, kuberedwa, kumangidwa… Adalakwa kukhala Yoh!?

  30. Uyu zaka nine pamene amaba masana. Cashgate ya Senzani-Namathanga ndiye zaka zitatu koma ndalama zakezo MK100 million+. Ziliko ku Nyasalande.

  31. For stealing katundu kunyumba kwa mphwiyo 1 gets 9yrs n case changu changu. For stealing millions of tax payers money mpheiyo will get 0 yrs n case kulibe. Zikomo dziko likomela opata mayooo!!

  32. Second Grade Magistrate Victor Sibu conquered…-Second Grade Magistrate Victor Sibu concurred….

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