The Dowa First Grade Magistrate’s Court has sentenced 28-year-old Amoni Maliseni to 4 years imprisonment for setting on fire two houses belonging to his sister and cousin.
State prosecutor Inspector Christopher Daluni told the court that the convict, Amoni Maliseni, on March 20 2022 at Chavu Village in Dowa District willfully and unlawfully set fire to two houses belonging to his sister Loyce Mwale and his cousin Grace Marko, where property worth K61, 000 was damaged.
The court also learnt that on the same day Maliseni used insulting language in a manner to provoke his sister Loyce Mwale to break peace.
Appearing before court, Maliseni pleaded guilty to charges of arson and use of insulting language contrary to Sections 337 and 182 respectively.
In his submission, state prosecutor Inspector Christopher Daluni asked the court to mete out a stiff punishment to the offender, saying the offences committed are serious in nature hence the need to deter others from committing similar offences.
Presiding over the case, First Grade Magistrate Robert Botha concurred with the state’s submission and sentenced the convict to 4 years imprisonment with hard labour for the first and second count of arson and the third count of use of insulting language has earned him 6 months imprisonment with hard labour.
The convict, Amoni Maliseni, comes from Chavu Village in the area of Traditional Authority Chiwere in Dowa District.
In a related development, the same court has convicted and sentenced 33-year-old man, Mphatso Fanuel Elisa Yesaya, to 3 years imprisonment with hard labour for theft of motorcycle.
The court through state prosecutor Sub Inspector Agnes Mphinga heard that the convict on September 30 2021 at Mwambakulu Village in Dowa District stole a motorcycle valued at K620 000 belonging to Kingstone Geoffrey.
Appearing before court, the convict pleaded guilty to a charge of theft of motorcycle contrary to Section 282 of the Penal Code.
Passing sentence, First Grade Magistrate Robert Botha concurred with the state’s submission and sentenced the convict to 3 years imprisonment with hard labour.
The convict, Mphatso Fanuel Elisa Yesaya, comes from Tsankanga Village in the area of Traditional Authority Chakhaza in Dowa District.
