Man jailed 4 years IHL for burglary and theft of motorcycle

The Mponela First Grade Magistrate’s Court has today March 19, 2024 convicted and sentenced a 26 year old man, Patrick Galanga to serve 4 years imprisonment with hard labour for burglary and 18 months imprisonment for theft of motorcycle.

The Court heard through the State Prosecutor Sergeant Delta Makungwa that, the complainant was a businessman and he owns a motorcycle Lifan red in colour.

Makungwa added that on November 5, 2023 he went to sleep and he locked all the doors and windows.

Whilst asleep he heard a sound of foot steps but he thought that the sound was from goats that sleep outside his house.

He woke up and upon searching he realized that his motorcycle has been stolen by unknown criminals and he started following it using his torch whereby he saw Galanga running away with the motorcycle at a distance and he was arrested by community policing members who brought him to Chisepo police unit together with the stolen motorcycle.

Appearing in court, Galanga pleaded not guilty to the charge of burglary and theft of a motorcycle which prompted the state to parade two witnesses who proved the case beyond reasonable doubt.

In his Submission, Makungwa asked the court to give the accused tough punishment.

First Grade Magistrate Talakwanji M’ndala sentenced Galanga to 4 years imprisonment with hard labour for the offence of burglary and 18 months for theft of motorcycle.

All the sentences to run concurrently.

Galanga hails from Mpwani Village in the area of Senior Chief Kayembe in Dowa District.