Indian fined K700,000 for ‘dog’ slur, gets suspended sentence

A Court in Mzuzu has sentenced an Indian national with three month imprisonment but suspended to three years  [meaning he should not re-offend in the period otherwise he will get custodial sentence] and slapped him with K700, 000 fine for slur.

The Senior Resident Magistrate Court in Mzuzu made the ruling after Anand Mandivar pleaded guilty to insulting Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) chairperson for the North, Happy Mhango.

Senior Resident Magistrate, Godfrey Nyirenda, has also ordered the convict to compensate the victim with K700,000 for calling him ‘dog’.

The Court started hearing the case on Wednesday, April 7, 2021, but adjourned the ruling to Thursday, April 8.

Mzuzu Police Prosecutor, Superintendent Solomon Mchawi, called for appropriate punishment to the convict to change his mindset and act as a deterrent to other would-be offenders.

Mandivar’s action is contrary to section 182 of the penal code.