12 years for chopping off man’s palms

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knife-blood

Mangochi first grade magistrate court on Wednesday sentenced Grem Louis to 12 years imprisonment with hard labour for chopping off both palms of a man whom he was suspecting to be in love with his wife.

State Prosecutor Efford Kamphonje told court that on November 12, the victim Michael Alfred was cycling from Namiyasi to Samama village which is along Monkey-Bay- Mangochi road and as he reached at Naming’unde Bridge, the convict emerged from nowhere and attacked him using a panga knife.

knife-bloodHe chopped off both his palms before running away leaving the victim lying unconsciously.

 The victim was taken to Mangochi District Hospital by a good Samaritan who passed by few minutes after the incident and he was referred to Zomba Central Hospital because he was badly injured but nothing was stolen from him.

Louis run to Mwanza following the incident but he was arrested two weeks later.

In court he pleaded guilty to charges against him and he told the court that he did this out of anger because the victim was having a secret affair with his wife and he begged for leniency from the court.

When passing judgement, first grade magistrate Ronald M’bwana said that although the accused person voluntarily pleaded guilty to the offence, he deserved a custodial sentence because his action was inhumane and as it is now that the victim will never be able to do anything using his hands.

M’bwana then sentenced him to 12 years imprisonment with hard labour.

Grem hails from Kafulumira village, Traditional Authority Mponda in Mangochi district.