The Zomba Senior Resident Magistrate’s court has ordered the forfeiture of two motorcycles to the government after two riders were found guilty of traffic offences.
Deputy Public Relations Officer Sergeant Patrick Maseko said the court heard that, on December 2, 2020, traffic police officers from Zomba Police Station were at 4 miles enforcing road traffic laws.
In the course of enforcing the laws, they intercepted two motorcycles which were being ridden by Chikondi Nkhoma, 27, and Blessings Moffat, 30.
Upon checking the documents, it was discovered that the two motorcycles were not roadworthy and were impounded.
The riders were charged with three counts: riding unregistered motorcycle, riding motorcycle without licence and riding a motorcycle without certificate of insurance.
Appearing before the court of law, Nkhoma and Moffat pleaded guilty to the charges levelled against them, the court found them guilty too.
In his submission, State Prosecutor, Simosh Joshua, asked the court to impose a stiffer punishment to them. He said noncompliance of road traffic rules is contributing to the increase of road accidents in the country.
Joshua, further told the court that, motorcycle owners and riders were given time to comply with road traffic rules in August, 2020. However, they chose not to comply hence a need for a stiffer sentence so that they should learn to comply with the laws.
He added that it is the duty of the courts and the state to bring sanity on roads by among other things imposing stiffer sentences to the offenders.
In mitigation, the two asked for court’s leniency when passing a sentence on them because they are all bread winners to their families and that they are employees.
When passing sentence on December 8, 2020, his worship Rodrick Michongwe concurred with the state and ordered that the motorcycles be forfeited to the government without an option of fine.
