A 21-year-old man in Dowa has been ordered to pay a fine of K50,000 or serve 9 months in prison for selling fake cooking oil.
The Dowa First Grade Magistrate’s Court through state prosecutor Sergeant Joseph Banda heard that the convict Yamikani Saopa on March 4 this year at Chezi Trading Centre in Dowa District was found selling counterfeit products.
State prosecutor Sergeant Joseph Banda further told the court that Saopa offered to sell five litres of cooking oil to a certain woman at Chezi Trading Centre at a price of K6000 but the woman had only K2000 and promised to pay the balance later of which Saopa denied.
The woman later asked another man who fries chips at Chezi Trading Centre to buy the cooking oil. However, it was discovered that the product was not cooking oil but rather a mixture of Baks Juice, water and a little cooking oil.
The matter was reported to police, leading to the arrest of Saopa.
Appearing before court, Saopa pleaded not guilty to a charge of selling counterfeit products contrary to Section 388 of the Penal Code. This prompted the state to parade three witnesses leading to his conviction.
In mitigation, the convict asked the court for leniency, saying he is a breadwinner to his family and that he is a first offender.
In his submission, state prosecutor Sergeant Joseph Banda pleaded with the court to pass a stiff punishment to the offender as a warning to others with similar intentions.
Passing sentence, First Grade Magistrate Robert Botha concurred with the state’s submission and sentenced the man to pay a fine of K50 000.00 or in default serve 9 months imprisonment with hard labour as a deterrent to others with similar deeds.
The convict, Yamikani Saopa, comes from M’biza Village in the area of Traditional Authority Nthiramanja in Mulanje District.
