Man to spend 10 years in Malawi jail for robbery: Police recover stolen good

The Balaka Second Grade Magistrate Court has sentenced a 35-year-old man to 10-years imprisonment with hard labour for robbery.

Police Prosecutor Constable Christopher Nyirongo told the court that the suspect Barnet Matabwa together with his friends Samson Sitima, on the night of 3rdFebruary, 2015 broke into the shop of Mr. Charles Belekiya at Utale ll Trading Centre in the district and went away with assorted groceries, hardware materials and K90, 000.00 cash all amounting to K370, 000.00.

“Before stealing the items, the suspects tied the children who were sleeping in the shop which is semidetached to his house and threatened to kill them if they cry for help. And just after they left, the children managed to untie each other and then reported the matter to their father who alerted his friends and one of the suspect Samson Steven was arrested the same night by Community Policing Members and was found with some of the stolen items” said Nyirongo.

Matabwa pleaded guilty to the charge but denied committing the offence together with his friend Samson Sitima who pleaded not guilty.

He said Sitima who was found with some of the stolen items just left the goods at his home and this forced the Police to parade witnesses including the investigator Detective Constable Laston Maulisu.

A 12 year old girl openly told the court that she saw the suspect alongside his friend Sitima and that they tied them up and even told her that if she was a grown up person, he could have rapped her.

Following a plea of guilty by one of the suspect Barnet Matabwa, Second Grade Magistrate Maxwell Boaz found him with a case to answer and pended the charge for Samson Sitima who pleaded not guilty.

In his submission before judgment, Prosecutor Constable Nyirongo asked the court to consider giving the suspect a stiffer sentence.

He said people like Matabwa are making a lot of people in the country to live like prisoners in their own houses and they are enemies to the development of the country but the convict did not say anything in mitigation.

Second Grade Magistrate Maxwell Boaz agreed with the state that Barnet Matabwa deserves a stiffer sentence and sentenced him to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour so that it should be lesson to him and would be offenders.

Barnet Matabwa comes from Khwalala village, Traditional Authority Nkaya in the same district of Balaka.

In a related development, Malawi News Agency has reported that Pol ice in Kanengo are keeping in custody eight suspects for being found in possession of stolen goods.

National Police Public Relations Officer Rhoda Manjolo said the police have managed to arrest Evance Lufeyo, 27, of Mwanje Village T/A Chitera in Chiradzulu and some other seven suspects who helped him in stealing the goods..

“A black Lenovo laptop belonging to Mr. Oswald Ntupila, 36, from Mulwa, T/A Kyungu,  Karonga district, Plasma screen stolen from Mr. George Makungwa, 41, of Chikalimbo village, T/A Chikowi, Zomba district, Monitor Samsung clover cell phone, golf shaver and wall clock stolen from Mr. Jumpson Nyasulu, 46, of Mcheka village T /A Mwilangombe, Karonga district have been recovered,” said Manjolo.

She further added that, some other properties they recovered belong to Mr. Juma Saidi, 28,  Kaudzu village, T/A Sitola, Machinga and the items include, DVX DVD player, Sony DVD player and Kenwood subwoofer.

Meanwhile Manjolo thanked all the people who gave them a tip off that led to the recovery of the stolen items, saying the suspects were expected to be put on trial soon.

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