The Lilongwe Senior Resident Magistrate Court has sentenced a 23 year old Mozambican national, to 21 years imprisonment with hard labour for robbery of a motor vehicle he hired and the convict is also expected to answer charges of murdering the driver of the vehicle.
According to Lilongwe Police spokesperson Hastings Chigalu, the convict has been identified as Mayesero Malefula, who in January last year murdered Francis Milindi who was a tax driver in the capital city.
Chigalu said the state prosecutor Sub Inspector Steve Galeta told the court that on the night of 7th January, 2022, Malefula hired a Honda Freed vehicle registration number BY 8402 at Namitondo Trading Centre in Lilongwe.
It is reported that instead of paying for the services same night, the convict told the driver to come back to his house a day later for the payment after giving him a bank card as a collateral.
The following morning, Milindi went to the convict’s house to collect the money as previously agreed and upon arrival, he was taken into the house where he was offered mangoes to eat first.
Sub Inspector Galeta further told the court that while the driver was busy eating, the convict took a hammer and assaulted him severely on the head and he later buried the driver’s body behind his rented house.
The issue was later exposed after neighbours came across dogs feeding on the dead body after it was laid bare by a heavy downpour.
Appearing before court this week, Malefula pleaded guilty to the charge of robbery but in mitigation he prayed for leniency, a thing which was objected by the state saying the offence was planned and the convict needed a stiff punishment.
Concurrently, Lilongwe Senior Resident Magistrate James Mankhwazi observed that such cases were rampant in the capital city with potential to scare investors in the transport industry, and to send a strong warning to would-be offenders, he sentenced the convict to 21 years imprisonment.
Mayesero Malefula, who will also face a second count of murder, hails from Kalembo Village, T/A Sopera, Chifunde District in Mozambique where the Malawi Police have recovered the stolen vehicle where it was sold.
Follow us on Twitter:
