A 31-year old man in Mangochi district has been sentenced to six years for stealing from three people by trickery.
Mangochi police public relations officer, Sergeant Amina Tepani Daudi identified the convict as Geoffrey Jawadu who was slapped on Friday, January 18.
Sergeant Daudi said the court heard through Mangochi Police prosecutor Sub lnspector Regina Makwinja that Jawadu had been duping money from people around Mangochi by tricking them that he is a businessman who transports people from Malawi to South Africa.
The publicist said in July 2018, Jawadu duped a sum of K250,000 from Matola Sailesi, 50 at Nyangu village and ran away after convincing him that he will take his two sons to South Africa.
In August the same year, Jawadu moved to Pagona village where he married a woman and after staying for a few he ran away with his sister in-law’s passport after convincing her that he had a female passenger who wanted to use the passport.
On August 29, 2018, Jawadu hired a bicycle taxi (Kabaza) from Chimbende village to Mangochi boma and on their way he told the Kabaza operator that he can take him to South Africa at an affordable price.
The bicycle operator was convinced but since he had no money they agreed to meet the next day at his house.
The following day, Zawadu went to the bicycle operator’s house where he took two loudspeakers, amplifier and the bicycle from him as transport fare. All items worth K150,000.
All complaints were reported to the Police and investigations were initiated immediately.
After being on the run for some time, Jawadu was arrested in Makanjira and Police also recovered all the items including the passport.
Appearing in court, Jawadu pleaded not guilty to all the 3 counts laid against him and the state paraded five witnesses who testified against him.
In his submission before sentence, Makwinja pleaded with the court to impose a custodial sentence since such cases are on the increase and the convict took advantage of the situation because many people from the district travel to South Africa.
When passing judgement, his worship second grade magistrate Augustine Mizaya sentenced Jawadu to 3 years on the first count, 1 and a half year on the second count and 2 years imprisonment with hard labour on the third count adding up to 6 and a half years years.
Geoffrey Jawadu hails from village lba in the area of Traditional Authority Jalasi in Mangochi district.
