Mulanje man who demolished houses gets 14 years

The Mulanje first grade magistrate court on Thursday sentenced a 25-year-old man to 14 years in prison for demolishing 17 houses.

The man George Jamali was convicted of two offences of unlawful wounding and malicious damage.

According Mulanje district police publicist Gresham Ngwira, late last year, there were chieftaincy wrangles between the Mukaka and Murula clans of traditional authority Njema in Mulanje.

Ngwira said during a ruling in September, senior chief Mabuka declared the Mukaka clan as legitimate for the position something that displeased the other family.

The convict in company of other relatives from his clan demolished 17 houses belonging to the Mukakas and in course of this they also injured Fostino Ngongondole, one of the members there. He was admitted for 4 days at Mulanje District Hospital.

Following a complaint, police made follow-ups and after some time the convict and some of his colleagues were arrested and charged with unlawful wounding and malicious damage.

However, his colleagues’ cases are yet to be completed as they were arrested on different times.

Appearing before his worship Smart Maruwasa, Jamali pleaded guilty to the offences and he was convicted.

In his submission, Sub Inspector Moriss Walumbe of Muloza Police Post asked the court to impose a stiff penalty to deter would-be offenders.

First grade magistrate Smart Maruwasa agreed with the state and sentenced Jamali to 3 years for unlawful wounding and 14 years for malicious damage.

The convict comes from Mtambalika village in the area of Traditional Authority Njema in the district.