The First Grade Magistrate Court at Mponela in Dowa has ordered 38-year-old Mandaliza Chimtande to pay K800, 000 fine for stealing about 300Kgs of tobacco worth K750, 000.
Mponela Police Station Public Relations Officer sergeant Macpatson Msadala has confirmed and said that the Malawi court heard through the state prosecutor Sub-Inspector Benedicto Mathambo that on May 31, 2022 at around 04:00 hours, the complainant received information from one of his workers that part of his tobacco had been stolen by unknown person.
Msadala further said that this prompted the complainant to employ some guards.
“The security guards decided to search by following scraps of tobacco which led to the house of the suspect. After interrogations, the suspect admitted to have stolen 300 kilograms of tobacco,” he said.
Appearing in court, Chimtande pleaded guilty to the charge levelled against him.
In mitigation, Chimtande asked the court leniency stating that he is a first offender.
In her submission, Prosecutor Mathambo pleaded for a custodial sentence as deterrent to other would be offenders.
Passing sentence, First Grade Magistrate Talakwanji Mndala concurred with the state prosecutor hence fined Chimtande to pay K800,000 or in default 18 months imprisonment with hard labour.
Mandaliza Chimtande, 38, comes from Lodzeni village in the area of Traditional Authority Dzoole.
