The Senior Resident Magistrate’s Court in Mzuzu on Wednesday sentenced 27-year-old Thula Ngwira to 9 years imprisonment with hard labour for breaking into Mzuzu University’s laboratory and stealing a decoder and a Television.
The court heard through state prosecutor, Sergeant Christina Shadreck, that Ngwira hired a tax to Mzuzu University’s laboratory where he committed the offence. Ngwira went away with a plasma screen and decoder.
He was charged with the offence of breaking into a building and committing a felony therein, contrary to section 311 of the Penal Code.
However, he pleaded not guilty to the charge levelled against him and this prompted the state to parade three witnesses who testified against him.
Prosecutor Shadreck submitted to the court that Ngwira infringed the moral values of Malawian society. She prayed to the court to impose a meaningful sentence to Ngwira in order to deter would-be offenders.
In mitigation, Ngwira asked for court’s leniency when passing a sentence to him because he is a first offender and he has a big family responsibility.
In his sentence, Senior Resident Magistrate Issa Maulidi concurred with the state about the seriousness of the offence. He sentenced Ngwira to nine years imprisonment with hard labour.
Ngwira hails from Beneka Village, Traditional Authority Mabulabo in Mzimba District.
