The Limbe second grade magistrate court has sentenced 20-year-old Charles Laston Magalasi to 8 years imprisonment with hard labour for stealing a phone and money.
According to Assistant Public Relations Officer for Limbe police station Widson Nhlane, on 12 February 2017, the convict robbed a driver for Kukoma Company of a cellphone and 1000 kwacha cash.
Nhlane said during the attack which occurred along Dunduzu road in Limbe Township, the convict also wilfully and unlawfully damaged the windscreen of the vehicle worth K400,000.
The court heard that police managed to arrest the convict in connection to the robbery.
In court the thief pleaded guilty and asked the presiding magistrate Khobiri to exercise lenience when passing judgement because he is a first offender and has a wife and child who depend on him.
However, magistrate Khobiri said the offence attracts a maximum sentence of life imprisonment as laid out in section 301(1) of the penal code which states the punishment for robbery.
He then slapped him with an 8-year custodial sentence to deter would be offenders.
Magalasi hails from Majawa village, Traditional Authority Mabuka in Mulanje district.
