The Mzuzu Senior Resident Magistrate Court on Tuesday handed out hefty fines to 14 bicycle taxi operators for burning a motorcycle.
The Kabaza operators were ordered to pay a fine of K100, 000 each or in default to serve three years in prison for setting on fire a motorcycle belonging to their chairman.
According to police, in 2015 Mzuzu Police Station was overwhelmed with the upsurge of traffic accidents involving Kabaza operators. On a daily basis five accidents were being reported.
To avoid such accidents, Police allocated all Kabaza operators to designated points whereby they were forbidden to reach the inner city of Mzuzu.
Unfortunately, the operators were not happy with the operation. Therefore, they accused their chairman, Joseph Sitima, of siding with Police.
On 8th February 2016 the leadership of Kabaza Association in the city was invited to a meeting at Mzuzu police station. As the chair for the association, Sitima attended the meeting.
Before going to the meeting on that particular day, Sitima left his motorcycle registration number BS 7252 worth K1.3 million with his friend.
After hearing that the chair had gone to a meeting at the Police station, the Kabaza operators became angry. They gathered and forcibly took the chairman’s motorcycle to around Namizu junction area in Chibanja in the city where they willingly and unlawfully burnt it to ashes.
The 14 were arrested and appeared in court where they pleaded not guilty to a malicious damage charge.
However, after the parading of state witnesses, the presiding Senior Resident Magistrate Anthony Banda convicted them.
State Prosecutor Assistant Superintendent Betty Msowoya asked the court to impose stiff sentences to deter other would be offenders.
In mitigation, the convicts told the court they are breadwinners of their families and prayed for lenient sentence. Nevertheless, as a lesson to other would be offenders, the court ordered them to pay a fine of K100,000 each or in default to serve three years imprisonment with hard labour.
The convicts are Davis Mhango, 25, Chimwemwe Soko, 25, Steven Mtambo, 31, Amos Phiri, 16, Charles Mkandawire, 19, Juman Phiri, 23, Thom Kaunda, 23, Fabian Mbewe, 30, Innocent Mkandawire, 22, Likwambe, 18, Petros Ndhuli, 20, Rastin Ndhuli, 18, and Stuwart Magawa 25.
Meanwhile the operation has proved successful as the accidents have now been reduced from five to zero per day.
let the truth flows like water
let the truth flows like water
Kabanzaaaa ena amat zobanduka, Sacramento, ashapashe kwinako ndalephera
Sorry no comment
Eeeeee! LIFO yemweyu mpaka MK1.3 million? Mwawonjezapo Mr chairman.
Alipira fineyo alephera? M24 zimalizani nkhani!
Ndikuwona dim kwambili
Ndikuwona dim kwambili
Eeeeee oky!
Kodi motorcycle mtengo zili pa bbwanji?
This bad
Mmmmm anyamata inu bwanjiso, izi zimayikisa mabanja pamavuto sopano awanthandiza ndani ana anu ndi mkazi wanu nanga agogo anu ndakumverani chisoni , chili chose chimatha ndikukambirana
Anaziyamba dala, hw can he use motorcycle on kabaza lank??
You better read the whole story before commenting.
You better read the whole story before commenting.
thats why they will pay k100.000 or 3yrs in jail. no one owns the road
thats why they will pay k100.000 or 3yrs in jail. no one owns the road
Ndipomwe mungaziwe kuti this Regime is cruel, hw come charging them K100 000 pomwe bland new motorcycle is costing K70 000 or K60 000.
hey foster peter where can u buy a motor bike @ 70grand
hey foster peter where can u buy a motor bike @ 70grand
Kumozambiq man
Kumozambiq man
Mmmmmmm Mozambique Wake Uti?
Mmmmmmm Mozambique Wake Uti?
Nde ndiku mosambique kuno??
Nde ndiku mosambique kuno??
Nde kunoko ilipabwanj?? So u want to tell me kuti u r happy with that jurgement??
Nde kunoko ilipabwanj?? So u want to tell me kuti u r happy with that jurgement??
iwe foster ndikutumizile 70 pin ukandishopera?
Adamz uyipeza kuti 70grand iwy??kkkkkkkkkkkkkk umangomva kut 70pin ait?
Foster Peter who said the money is entirely for a new bike? Its a fine, not a compensation
The fine is too much as compared to acrime, njala yakulatu iyiii!!
Ndiye ngati njala yakula pitani mukagule matemba osati machesi owochela njinga. Those people deserve the fine. This is a stupid thing to do
Its sad how our justice system really works. Some of those convicted are innocent and to make matters worse one operator died in a police cell because officers were reluctant to take him to the hospital. MPS full of corrupt officials and sucks!!