Five years in jail for stealing items worth millions

The Ntchisi first grade magistrate court has sentenced a 21 year-old man to 5 years imprisonment with hard labour for breaking into a building and stealing items worth millions.

The court heard that the convict Yohane Banda on the night of 19 May 2016 broke and entered into a shop belonging to a Pakistan national in Ntchisi.

Banda stole 15 DVD players, two amplifiers, 130 memory cards, 28 flash disks, 4 blankets, 43 Itel mobile phones and cash amounting to K310,000, all valued K2,101,800.

The convict pleaded guilty to the charge of breaking into a building and committing a felony which is contrary to section 311 of the penal code.

Passing the sentence, first grade magistrate Dorothy Kalua said the criminal deserved a stiff punishment to deter would-be offenders. She then sentenced him to five years imprisonment with hard labour.

Banda hails from Kachulu village, T/A Kalumo in Ntchisi district.

In a related development, police in Ntchisi are searching for unknown criminals who stole two bulls at Masimba village on 15 June 2016.

M’bumpha said the criminals broke into a cattle kraal belonging to Mikili Kamwaza where they stole two bulls valued K600,000. The law enforcers are still investigating the issue in order to apprehend the culprits.   

The Police have however managed to arrest five people for committing the offence of theft by trickery.

M’bumpha identified two of the suspects as Chikafa Bosalomu aged 41, Chisoni Mdyetseni aged 44. He said the two connived with the other three suspects who are women to form a fake association.

He said the three women formed a fake association called Tilime 3 women association and collected money from farmers.

“It was on 7 June this year when the suspects visited T/A Kalumo saying they have an association that provides loans for small scale farmers,” said M’bumpha.

He added that the suspects said they provide rice seeds in 500g at a fee of K1000 and people were organised.

According to M’bumpha, on 15 June this year the suspects brought the rice seeds to the village, distributed them to farmers, and collected more than K700,000 from members of the village.

But a well-wisher tipped the police who followed the matter and on 18 June the suspects were arrested.

Bisalomu hails from Chimbuyo village T/A Kabudula while Mdyetseni hails from T/A Mtemba both from Lilongwe.