20 months imprisonment for 9 men caught fishing in Shire River

A court in Machinga on Thursday sentenced nine men to 20 months in prison each for fishing in Shire River.

The men were found guilty of illegally entering into a protected area, conveying weapons in protected area and killing protected species which is contrary to sections 32, 33 and 35 of wildlife and National Park Act respectively.

Presenting facts during the trial, state prosecutor Cliff Kalawa told the court that on December 18, Liwonde National Park assistants who were on patrol found the men fishing in the protected area using fishing nets and canoe.

The men failed to produce permits when asked and the park assistants apprehended them.

All the suspects pleaded guilty to the charges of breaking into a protected area, conveying weapons, and killing protected species.

Prosecutor Kalawa asked the court to impose stiff punishment to the convicts for such cases are rampant in the area. He said many have been convicted but no change is seen from the communities.

Machinga Second Grade Magistrate Maxwell Boazi then sentenced the men to 20 months imprisonment with hard labour for each count but he said the sentences will run concurrently.

The nine men included James Magombo who comes from Nsamati Village, Sub T/A Amidu in Balaka and Wilson Silence who comes from Kaudzu Village T/A Sitola Machinga.