Refugees found with a homicide case to answer

Lilongwe Senior Resident Magistrate Violet Chipawo has found two Burundian refugees Emmanuel Sekanao and Dezire Bintuari who are answering charges of attempted grievous harm and wounding with a case to answer.

The two are said to be involved in the shooting a  businessperson Vincent Niyongira in Salima on July 10  2017.

Niyongira is a naturalized Malawian of Rwandan origin.

The two are being charged together with a Malawian, 27 year old Davie Paseli of Ta Kadewere in Chiradzulu district.

Magistrate Chipawo said the prosecution  by Niyongira’s lawyer Lugano Mwabutwa has managed to bring prima facie evidence before the court.

The suspects will enter defence at a later date.

Mwabutwa is applied to the office of Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) to prosecute the case and change the charges from attempted murder so that it should be heard at the lower court for speedy trial, an application which the office granted.

Standing in the witness box, a Nkhotakota based agro-dealer Gift Mwale told the court that Paseli, also an agro-dealer, called him to a meeting in Salima to discuss some business.

“When I arrived in Salima, I met Paseli and Bintuari who told me to find a hit man to kill a certain businessman. I was promised K500 000 for the job and K1 million for the hit man once the mission has been completed.

“I couldn’t believe this because it was not what I was expecting to be the agenda of the topic. It’s something that I had never done before. I left for Blantyre for business, whilst there, I received a call from Paseli informing me that a certain businessman, a Mr Vincent has been shot in Salima.

“So he wanted to find out if I was part of the mission which I denied. I immediately called Salima police that I have some information on the shooting,” said Mwale who told the court during cross examination that he has never been on the wrong side of the law before.

Both the second, third and fourth witnesses, Niyongira’s guard Moffat Gondwe, Niyongira’s daughter Pemphero and son Elisha respectively identified Sekanawo as someone who was involved in the shooting.

The court also heard that Sekanawo was also identified by the witnesses during a parade at Salima Police Station.

Gondwe said he wrestled with Sekanawo as he was about to close the gate when his boss was retiring from business as the other two unknown assailants followed the minibus in which Niyongira was driving as he entered into the compound.

“I argued with the suspects for a few minutes before I heard a gunshot. We both let go of the gate as I rushed to where my boss was parking the vehicle as the assailants run away. There is no way I can forget him because although it was partially dark, the security lights were on and we were just below one of the bulbs,” said Gondwe.

Pamela told the court that they found Sekanawo at the gate 30 minutes before the shooting.

“I greater him thinking he is one of the many people who come home either looking for work or financial assistance from dad,” she told the court.

Elisha identified Sekanawo as a person who peeped thrice into the shop earlier during the day before he saw him at the gate almost 30 minutes before the shooting.

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