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Dwangwa First Grade Magistrate Court in Nkhotakota on Wednesday convicted and sentenced an 18-year-old man to 30 months imprisonment with hard labour (IHL) for burglary and theft.
The court, through Police Prosecutor Mc rhino Lungu heard that on the night of April 17-18 this year (2018), Happy Unyolo broke and entered the house of 22-year-old Chisomo Mbewe.
Prosecutor Lungu said the suspect went away with assorted clothes and two small speakers valued at MK30, 000.
“The stolen items are not yet recovered apart from a single pair of trousers. It is my prayer to the court to impose a meaningful sentence to the accused to deter other would-be offenders since cases of burglary and theft are rampant in the district,” said Lungu.
Unyolo pleaded guilty to both counts.
In mitigation, he asked the court to be lenient when passing the sentence, claiming that he had already reformed into a responsible citizen.
Presiding over the case, First Grade Magistrate Kingsley Buleya said burglary and theft are serious offences that attract a maximum penalty of death or life imprisonment.
“Due to your own plea of guilty and for sparing court’s time, I sentence you to serve 18 months IHL for the first count and 12 months IHL for the second count. The sentences are to run consecutively with effect from the date of arrest. The recovered pair of trousers should be returned to the owner,” ruled the magistrate.
Unyolo hails from Chamba Village in the area of Senior Chief Malengachanzi in Nkhotakota District.
