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

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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