The High Court in Mzuzu has sentenced Eric Banda aged 45 and Colless Phiri aged 31 to 5 years imprisonment with hard labour for stealing bags of maize.
The court through state prosecutor Chawinga heard that on the night of 22 August this year in Mzimba Banda and Phiri broke into Blessings Lola’s house and stole 16 bags of maize weighing 50kg each valued at K81,000.
The following morning, Lola woke up to the discovery of 16 bags of maize missing from 145 bags he had kept in his store room.
With the help of community police members, they made a follow up which led to the arrest of Banda and Phiri. The two were taken to Mpherembe police unit.
Eric Banda and Colless Phiri were charged with burglary and theft contrary to section 309 subsection 2.
The two pleaded guilty to the charges though they asked for leniency saying they were first offenders and did not waste court’s time by accepting wrongdoing.
But state prosecutor asked the court to consider handing a stiff penalty to the convicts saying similar cases have become rampant in Mzuzu and Mpherembe and it will serve as a lesson to others.
Both Eric Banda and Colless Phiri hails from Visepo village, TA Mpherembe in Mzimba.
81,000 five years in prison
Cash gate
Maize gate
Zero years in prison…..
Malawi
They deserved more than 5yrs, instead of working they want to be sowing where they did not reap