By: Raphael Likaka
The Senior Resident Magistrate’s (SRM) court in Lilongwe has sentenced 42-year-old Steven Chimela to 14 years imprisonment for breaking into a house and stealing cash and items worth K2.5 million.
Public Relations Officer for Lingadzi Police Station Sub Inspector Salomy Zgambo has confirmed the sentence which was handed out last week.
The Court heard through Police prosecutor Sub inspector Tisungane Makiyi that on August 18, 2019, Chimela along with three accomplices drilled through a brick fence and entered into a compound at Area 12 in Lilongwe. Thereafter, they broke the main door and entered the house.
Makiyi said that the suspects threatened the owner of the house with panga knives before going away with cash and property worth K2,500,000 (two million, five hundred thousand kwacha).
Steven Chimela who is the main suspect in this case was convicted on his own plea of guilty while the three accomplices denied the charges.
In submission, Sub inspector Makiyi told the court that the accused person is already serving a sentence of 14 years for a similar offence which he was sentenced in 2020 and another 1-year sentence for escaping from lawful custody.
She therefore pleaded with the court for stiffer punishment saying that the suspect is becoming notorious.
In mitigation, Chimela pleaded with the court for leniency saying that he is already serving a 14-year jail sentence and that his wife died last year such that his children are without parental care.
Passing judgement, SRM Florence Msekandiana concurred with the state that the suspect is becoming a hardcore criminal.
Msekandiana quashed the mitigation factors of the suspect saying that he repeatedly committed the offence and that he is an escapee.
She also said that the offence committed is grievous in nature, hence slapped him with 14 years IHL
Steven Chimela, 42, hails from Waliyala village in Traditional Authority Mlumbe in Zomba.
