Three men who risked a 12-month jail term over 670 litres of petrol have been fined K800,000 each, while the fuel has been forfeited to government.
The men, identified as Hamza Mdoka, 27, Chikondi Zulu, 23, and Molle Banda, 23, were found with the 670 litres of petrol in Dwangwa, Nkhotakota District, on Tuesday this week.
The petrol, valued at approximately K3.2 million, was being transported to Nkhotakota Boma for sale when the three were arrested.
Appearing before the Nkhunga First Grade Magistrate’s Court, state prosecutor Micheas Chatsira asked the court to impose a stiff penalty and order the forfeiture of the fuel to government.
Chatsira argued that the offence was dangerous as it put people’s lives at risk.
However, the three men pleaded for leniency, asking the court not to confiscate the petrol because they had borrowed money to purchase it and would struggle to repay the debt if the fuel was seized.
First Grade Magistrate Talakwanji Mdala rejected their plea and ordered each man to pay a K800,000 fine or serve 12 months in prison in default.
The court further ordered that the confiscated petrol be taken over by government and distributed among various departments, including agriculture, health, police and the judiciary.
The three men have since paid the fines, bringing their case to an end, but losing the K3.2 million worth of petrol they had hoped to sell.
The men, identified as Hamza Mdoka, 27, Chikondi Zulu, 23, and Molle Banda, 23, were found with the 670 litres of petrol in Dwangwa, Nkhotakota District, on Tuesday this week.
The petrol, valued at approximately K3.2 million, was being transported to Nkhotakota Boma for sale when the three were arrested.
Appearing before the Nkhunga First Grade Magistrate’s Court, state prosecutor Micheas Chatsira asked the court to impose a stiff penalty and order the forfeiture of the fuel to government.
Chatsira argued that the offence was dangerous as it put people’s lives at risk.
However, the three men pleaded for leniency, asking the court not to confiscate the petrol because they had borrowed money to purchase it and would struggle to repay the debt if the fuel was seized.
First Grade Magistrate Talakwanji Mdala rejected their plea and ordered each man to pay a K800,000 fine or serve 12 months in prison in default.
The court further ordered that the confiscated petrol be taken over by government and distributed among various departments, including agriculture, health, police and the judiciary.
The three men have since paid the fines, bringing their case to an end, but losing the K3.2 million worth of petrol they had hoped to sell.
