The Lilongwe Principal Resident Magistrate Court has sentenced eight people to 19 years in prison for robbing a Chinese businessman of K30 million at gunpoint.
They killed him and his driver, a Chinese national too.
According to Foster Benjamin, Deputy PRO for Central West Region Police, on 16 May 2023, the court heard that the convicts were armed with an AK47 rifle and a toy gun when they invaded the premises of Mr Chen Xia at Njewa in the capital city.
As the victim was entering his compound alongside his driver, they were ambushed and shot at by the convicts. mike
Benjamin further noted that the convicts went away with K30 million cash before their arrest.
“In their trial, the accused pleaded not guilty, prompting the State to parade five witnesses. They were subsequently found guilty of robbery with violence,” he explained.
Benjamin continued to say that the state prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent Saddrey Sambo of Central West Region Police, pleaded with the court to hand the convicts long prison sentences by putting into consideration how innocent lives were lost during the robbery.
Passing the sentence, Principal Resident Magistrate Rodrick Michongwe disregarded the mitigation saying the aggravating circumstances surrounding the case outweighed the mitigation factors raised.
Michongwe said the convicts were organized since they travelled from different parts of the country to commit the crime in Lilongwe.
He went on to convict and sentence the eight, who included a woman, to 19 years imprisonment with hard labour to deter potential offenders.
The convicts are Muhammad Jamali, 41, from Mangochi; Yamikani Alderico Petro, 42, from Dedza; Blessings James, 34, from Mangochi; Tailosi Mkwapatila, 47, from Machinga; Mussah Austin, 53, from Mangochi; Yusuf Adam, 40, from Mangochi; Precious Billiat, 31, (a lady) from Ntcheu; and Twaibu Kalinga, 53, from Zomba.
