Mangochi habitual criminal slapped five more years in jail
Mangochi First Grade Magistrate’s Court on Thursday convicted and sentenced 32-year-old serving criminal, Emmanuel Joseph, to five years imprisonment with hard labour for house-breaking and robbery.
Mangochi Police Station Deputy Public Relations Officer, Sergeant Amina Tepani Daudi said Joseph’s conviction and sentence comes barely a week after a court in Liwonde convicted and sentenced him to four years imprisonment on similar charges.
Daudi said Joseph was on a police wanted list for house-breaking and robbery in Mangochi when he committed a similar offence in Liwonde where he was apprehended, faced trial and sentenced to four years imprisonment.
The police publicist said after the Liwonde conviction, Joseph was handed over to Mangochi Police for further prosecution of the offence he had committed earlier in the district.
Police prosecutor, Sub Inspector Grace Mindozo told the court that on the night of January 15, 2018 unknown criminals broke into an electronics shop belonging to Mohammad Shabir Ashraf, an Indian National but doing his business at Mangochi Boma.
Mindozo said the thugs gained access into the shop through the roof by ripping off iron sheets and went away with 32 different cell-phones and a hand bag which contained K500, 000 cash.
“All the stolen items were valued at K2.1 million, your Worship,” Mindozo told the court.
“Few days later, Mangochi police detectives successfully apprehended the accused person and also recovered 25 cell-phones and K3, 000 cash within Liwonde Township where the accused was hiding,” she added.
In her submission before the sentence, Sub Inspector Mindozo asked the court to impose a custodial sentence on the basis that the accused person is was a habitual criminal and that his behaviour posed a threat to the nation.
Passing judgment, First Grade Magistrate Ronald M’bwana concurred with the state, hence sentenced the convict to five years imprisonment with hard labour.
The first and second sentences will run consecutively.
Joseph hails from Mapiko Village in the area of Traditional Authority Kalembo in Balaka
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