Two get 40 months for breaking into a shop

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Mangochi

Nanyumbu Second Grade Magistrate Court on Wednesday jailed two men for burglary and theft.

The two, 25-Year-old Alex Luziwelo Manoma and 23-Year-old Master Manjalo, were sentenced to 40 months imprisonment with hard labour for breaking into a building and committing a felony therein contrary to section 311 of the penal code.

CourtProsecutor Constable Gift Kalamula based at Nselema police post told the court that during the night of September 23 this year, the criminals broke into a shop belonging to Siloti Liwonde.

They stole items such as butex, Azam soap, biscuits, sugar and salt, all valued at 230,000.

After noticing the break in, the shop owner reported the matter to Ngokwe police unit.

On 28 September the complainant came across Imran Kotokwa selling some groceries at Ngokwe Market and he suspected some of them to be the ones that were stolen from his shop.

He informed officers at Ngokwe police who rushed to the place and arrested Kotokwa.

Kotokwa revealed that he bought the items from Alex Manoma. Manoma was arrested on 16 October and he admitted to have stolen the assorted groceries from Liwonde’s shop.

He further revealed to police that he did not commit the offence alone but was together with his friend Manjalo who was arrested on 17 October.

In court, Manoma and Manjalo were convicted on their own pleas of guilty.

Kalamula asked the court to impose a stiff punishment since the offence they committed is a serious one.

Second Grade Magistrate Maxwell Bowazi concurred with the state hence sentencing the two to 40 months imprisonment with hard labour each.

Alex Manoma hails from Namwawa village, while Masitala Manjalo comes from Bakali village, both from Traditional Authority Nyambi in Machinga district.