Court jails man who called Malawi police officer ‘vampire’

Blantyre Third Grade Magistrate Court in southern Malawi has convicted and sentenced 28 year old James Linyada to 18 months imprisonment with hard labour for proposing violence.

Linyada was arrested on October 20 after he stopped a Kabula Police Unit female Police Constable Happy Kwisongole who was going home from work, and called her a ‘bloodsucke’r which made people carry various weapons such as stones, sticks and burglar bars ready to deal with the officer.

It took the intervention of her landlord who pleaded with the crowd to disperse as the lady was not a blood sucker but a Police officer at Kabula. Police later arrested Linyada.

Appearing before the Blantyre Third Grade Magistrate Court on Tuesday, Linyada pleaded guilty to the charge of proposing violence contrary to section 87 (1)(a) of the penal code.

Passing the sentence Third Grade Magistrate Catherine Magwira said though the accused was a first offender, the offence he committed is serious.

“His behavior was very bad. He wanted the angry people to take away the life of an innocent police officer. She said the court could not condone such bad behaviour within the society. It is for this reason that the accused should be given a custodial sentence to remove him from the society so that people should live in peace,” Magwira said.

The magistrate then sentenced Linyada to 18 months imprisonment with hard labour without an option of a fine to deter would be offenders.

James Linyada hails from Galeta village T/A Chekucheku in Neno but a resident of Chemusa township in Blantyre.

In a related development, the Blantyre Magistrates court has convicted and sentenced a 23-year-old Welosi Kambewa to 12 months imprisonment with hard labour for Proposing violence.

Kambewa was arrested on Friday shouting on top of his voice that ”it is time to have blood sucked!” when Police Officers from Bravo Division were conducting patrols at Mpemba Trading centre with the aim of ensuring security amid reports of bloodsuckers.

The officers apprehended the accused and asked him to elaborate on what he meant by such a statement. He failed to give convincing reasons and was locked at Blantyre Police Station.

Welosi pleaded guilty to a charge of proposing violence.

The court found him guilty on his own plea of guilty.

Passing the sentence, Third Grade Magistrate Catherine Magwira collaborated with the Prosecution that people of this behaviour were causing chaos in the country thereby putting lives of innocent Malawians at risk of being killed.

Kambewa hails from Disi Lungu village T/A Somba in Blantyre.

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