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Mangochi First Grade Magistrate Court on Wednesday, April 21, 2021, convicted and sentenced Christopher Raphael Orlando a Mozambican national to 7 years imprisonment with hard labour (IHL) for committing a series of crimes in the district.
During court proceedings, Mangochi Police prosecutor, Sergeant John Makawa told the Court that Orlando is a well-known motorcycle thief.
According to Makawa, on the evening of February 2, 2021, Orlando met his brother-in-law on his way to Kassim village market. The convict borrowed his brother in-law’s Lifo motorcycle valued at K550,000 which he promised to bring back before nightfall but went away with it.
Makawa added that, on April 2, 2021, the same Orlando went away with a duck Lifo motorcycle worth K550,000 belonging to his father-in-law at Chilawi village after a two-week marriage with the victim’s daughter.
Both incidents were reported at Mangochi Police Station and investigations were initiated. All came to light when detectives apprehended him on April 13, 2021, on another count whereby he robbed and killed a motorbike taxi operator within the township.
The detectives also recovered the stolen motorbikes.
Appearing in Court Orlando pleaded guilty to the two counts.
In mitigation, Orlando asked for the Court’s leniency saying that he is a foreigner but Makawa asked the Court for a custodial sentence while justifying that Orlando’s behaviour is inhumane and cannot be tolerated in the society for hurting his close relatives.
First Grade Magistrate Mtunduwatha Mpasu, concurred with the State for a stiff penalty.
He, therefore, sentenced him to 4-years for the first count of theft and 3-years imprisonment with hard labour for another count of theft saying the sentences should run consecutively.
