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Two men have been sentenced to 3 years in prison with hard labour for stealing K133.000 with a trick that they were MRA officers.
On Monday, Second Grade Magistrate, Ezekiel Kantikana sentenced the two identified as John Msiska, 41, and Alex Whayo, 36, after they were found guilty on charges of impersonating public officers which is contrary to section 99b of the penal code.
During the trial in court, Police prosecutor, Beston Chimbalanga said on 11 January, the two went to a shop at Dowa Boma where they collected K60.000 from a shop owner claiming he failed to produce a VAT machine.
They were referring themselves as MRA officers by producing an identity card number 177.
The process was repeatedly done and the amount of money collected in total was K133.000.
Their 40th day was on 11 January when they approached a business man in Dzaleka with the same trick and the man got suspicious and informed the police officers from Dzaleka police unit who apprehended the two.
They later pleaded guilty to the charges against them and asked the court to give them a suspended sentence or to order them to pay a fine since the money obtained was little and that they were first offenders.
But the police prosecutor, Chimbalanga was against that and told the court to give them a stiff punishment saying that their crime was organized and they have tarnished the image of MRA.
Msiska hails from Lumbwe village Traditional Authority Chikulamayembe in Rumphi district and Whayo hails from Mkanda village Traditional Authority Kalembo in Balaka district.
