15-month jail term for abusing Banki Mnkhonde money

Jan 14, 2016 Business 13
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Arrested

As many Malawians in rural areas are enjoying sweet fruits of Village Savings groups popularly known as Banki Mnkhonde, some are eating sour fruits.

One of such people is 33 year-old Matinasi Lubani from Ntchisi who has been handed a 15-month jail sentence for abusing over K162,000.

Lubani was a treasurer for Tithandizane Village Group and she took advantage of her position to use the group’s money.

During a hearing at Ntchisi second grade magistrate court, Lubani pleaded guilty to the theft charge levelled against her.

ArrestedShe told the court that she had a lot of problems at her home and that made her to commit the offence. She said she used some of the money to pay school fees for her secondary school child.

Passing the sentence, Second Grade Magistrate Young Ngoma said cases of members of Village Savings stealing money from their groups are common in the district hence there was a need to hand a stiff penalty to the offender to deter others.

The magistrate then sentenced Lubani to 15 months imprisonment with hard labour (IHL) or to serve a suspended sentence if she pays back the money to the group.

Lubani hails from Chipelela village in Traditional Authority Kalumo in the district.

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13 Comments

  2. I wish i had money to pay for her debt. The woman used the money to pay for school fees for her child. Can the court allow me to be paying for her debt in bits? She had problems and was tempted.Lord have mercy on her.she was educating her family. And these village banks, do they have any regulations/was this lady educated enough to handle money? And what will happen to the child when the mother is locked up? Are we not increasing social problems?

  13. Charles nsaku anayimba kale izi, mulandu woba nkhuku dziko lonse kunveka wina akaba ma million kumango pondeleza. Changu changu sentencing this woman but failing to act faster on cashgate cases. Shameless courts

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