‘Forgive me. I’m HIV positive’- Man pleads with court

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Machinga

Despite asking for a lenient sentence because he is on ARV treatment, 41 year-old Paul Rita will spend five years in prison after a Malawian court found him guilty of theft and burglary.

CourtAccording to Assistant Public Relations Officer for Limbe police station, Widson Nhlane, the convict and his co-accused Madalitso Mulosowa, 28, broke into a house at Maone park in Blantyre.

However, Mulosowa ran away after he was granted bail and police are still looking for him.

“The convicted person and his co-accused broke into a house at Maone in Blantyre and went away with items such as bicycles, assorted screens, two laptops, assorted food stuffs, and a computer set,” said Nhlane.

In mitigation, Rita pleaded with the court to be lenient when passing judgment because he is on ARV treatment and that he is living with HIV.

Rita hails from Mponda village,T/A Chikowi in Zomba while Mulosowa hails from Zumbe village T/A Nthema in Chiradzulu district.