Burglar jailed 7 years for stealing from  police officer’s house

 anyumbu Second Grade Magistrate’s Court in Machinga on Thursday convicted and sentenced 27 -year-old Abdulahaman Jimmy to seven years imprisonment with hard labour upon being found guilty of burglary and theft contrary to Sections 309 (A) and 278 of the Penal Code respectively.

State Prosecutor, Constable Gift Kalamula told the court that during the night of April 12 and 13, 2018, the suspect broke and entered the dwelling house of Wilson Kamwendo, a police officer at Nselema Police Post and stole a Lasonic TV screen valued at K40, 000.00.

Kalamula told the court that as Kamwendo heard a strange sound coming from the sitting room as he was sleeping in his house, he woke up quietly and went to the room to see what was happening.

“When he reached the sitting room, he found the suspect trying to lift a glass coffee table,” the court heard through Kalamula.

“Your worship, the complainant chased the suspect but did not catch him and on return from the chase of the suspect, he found that the screen was already taken from the house and was left outside the house,” the court further heard.

Kalamula also told the court that the suspect left a crowbar beside the screen which he used to break into the house, a torch and his pair of trousers.

The court learnt that Kamwendo reported the matter to Nselema police and one of the suspect’s brother was invited to identify the trousers which he positively did. The identification of the trousers led to the arrest of the suspect on April 25, 2018.

The accused pleaded not guilty and denied the offence prompting the state to parade three witnesses to prove the case which later proved the suspect to be in the wrong beyond reasonable doubt. After full trial the accused was found guilty and convicted on both counts.

Kalamula, therefore, asked the court to give the convict a stiffer punishment since it was not the first time for him to get convicted on breaking offences.

“In 2013 the convict was also sentenced to 48 months IHL and 12 months IHL for burglary and theft respectively by this same court, therefore, he needs to be kept away from the community for a while,” Kalamula pleaded.

Passing sentence, Second Grade Magistrate, Maxwell Boazi concurred with the state and sentenced the convict to 84 months and 15 months imprisonment with hard labour for burglary and theft respectively. The sentences will run concurrently.

Jimmy hails from Ngunga Village in the area of Traditional Authority Kapoloma in Machinga.

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