Man convicted and jailed for impersonating state spy agent
Nkhata Bay First Grade Magistrate Court on Thursday convicted and sentenced Victor Kauye aged 35 to 18 months imprisonment with hard labour for impersonating a National Intelligence Service (NIS) officer.
Kauye committed the offence in November, 2019 in Nkhata Bay District when he tricked his own girlfriend, Jacqueline Manda and took some money from her.
“Kauye told Jacqueline that he would help her in releasing relatives from Nkhata Bay Prison who had been arrested in connection to Msakanene murder case,” State Prosecutor Sub Inspector Pleasant Sichali told the jam-packed court.
Sichali further said Kauye convinced Jacqueline by pausing as an officer working with National Intelligence Service based in Lilongwe.
“Jacqueline managed to source money from relatives amounting to K61, 000 and Kauye told his girlfriend that the cash would be used for processing bail and other logistics,” Sub Inspector Pleasant Sichali explained.
He said before making it to Nkhata Bay Prison, Kauye had to visit Nkhata Bay Police where he met both the Station Officer (SO) and the Station Crime Investigations Officer (SCIO).
Sub Inspector Sichali said Kauye introduced himself as an NIS officer. However, he suspiciously failed to produce tangible evidence to substantiate his description.
“He was later detained for further questioning in which he further contradicted himself,“ said Sichali.
But the suspect denied the charge. This prompted the state to parade four witnesses whose evidence unveiled the truth of the matter.
In his submission, Sub Inspector Sichali prayed for stiff punishment against the trickster.
He said the offender displayed bad behaviour likely to cause fear in the society and that he is connected to a series of similar offences in some districts in the country.
In mitigation, Kauye told the court that he is the breadwinner hence cried for leniency.
The First Grade Magistrate, George Longwe, dismissed his mitigating factors, saying he really behaved dangerously.
Longwe, therefore, sentenced Kauye to 18 months IHL with effect from the day of arrest to deter would–be offenders.
Victor Kauye hails from Katutula Village in Traditional Authority Mwaulambya in Chitipa District.
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