Criminal gets 10-years IHL for felonies

Mangochi First Grade Magistrate Court has convicted and sentenced Daudi Bernard to 10-years imprisonment with hard labour for committing a series of serious crimes in the district.

During court proceedings, Mangochi Police prosecutor Sub Inspector Regina Makwinja told court that Daudi has been terrorising and committing serious breakings within the district from the month of April to June 2020.

“During this period, he broke into a number of houses including a house of Patricia Chiphwanya a Clerk at Senior Resident Magistrate court. He went away with property such as laptops, 3 Cellophanes, 2 Plasma TVs, DVD player, remote control among other electronic appliances worth K1.8 million, said Makwinja.

Deputy public relations officer for the station, Sub Inspector Amina Tepani Daudi said that Investigations were initiated and Mangochi Police detectives apprehended him on June 5, 2020 within the township and recovered some of the stolen property.

Appearing in court Daudi pleaded guilty to two counts and denied other charges prompting the state to parade four witnesses who proved the case beyond reasonable doubt.

In mitigation Daudi shocked the court claiming he has nothing to say. Prosecutor Makwinja asked court for a custodial sentence while justifying that Daudi has been giving residents sleepless nights because of his criminal activities.

First Grade Magistrate Mtunduwatha Mpasu concurred with the state for a stiff penalty.

He therefore sentenced Daudi to 36 months for Burglary, 30 months for another count of Burglary, 30 months for theft and 26 months imprisonment with hard labour for another count of theft saying the sentences should run consecutively.

Daudi Bernard hails from Mwala Village, Traditional Authority Bwananyambi in Mangochi.

Still in Mangochi, a 22-year old man in Mangochi has died after being hit by a motor vehicle at Mpima Forest along Liwonde-Mangochi road.

Mangochi Police has identified the deceased as Imran Banda from Makande Village Traditional Authority Kalembo in Balaka.

The accident is reported to have happened in the morning of July 16, 2020. It involved a motor vehicle Mazda Alexa registration number CZ9620 driven by Charles Hassan, 29, a doctor at Mangochi District Hospital.

Hassan who was with his wife as a passenger was driving from the direction of Ulongwe heading Mangochi Boma and due to over speeding he lost control and hit the cyclist (now deceased) who was cycling towards the same direction.

Following the impact Banda sustained head injuries and was pronounced dead upon arrival at Mangochi District Hospital.

Meanwhile, Police have appealed to drivers to always follow road safety rules in avoidance of accidents.