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The Chikwawa First Grade Magistrate’s Court has convicted and sentenced two men to 6 years imprisonment with hard labour each for house breaking and theft.
The court through state prosecutor Sub Inspector Frank Ngoleka of Chikwawa Police Station heard that the two, Matias Machaka, 30, and Felix Chikwere, 47, on 21 July 2022 broke into a house of a certain medical assistant who works at Chikwawa District Hospital and went away with assorted items valued at K576,000.00.
Appearing before court, the two pleaded not guilty for the charges levelled against them of house breaking and theft contrary to Section 309 (a) and 278 of the Penal Code respectively. This prompted the state to parade three witnesses who testified against them beyond reasonable doubt.
In his submission, state prosecutor Sub Inspector Ngoleka prayed for a harsh custodial sentence, cititing that the two were planned to commit the offences and he further narrated that harsh custodial sentence would deter others would- be offenders.
In mitigation, the two asked the court they said that court to consider them when delivering its ruling, saying that they are bread winners to their families.
In his ruling, First Grade Magistrate Gladstone Chilundu concurred with the state and ordered the two to spend six years imprisonment with hard labour for the offence of house breaking and 24 months for theft. The sentences will run concurrently.
Matias Machaka comes from Lauji Village in Traditional Authority Katunga in Chikwawa District while Felix Chikwere is from Nsamera Village in Traditional Authority Chikumbu in Mulanje District.
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