Court sentences man 6 years IHL for burglary and theft

The Mponela First Grade Magistrate court has convicted and sentenced a 24 year old man identified as Patulani Chimangeni for the offence of burglary and theft.

The court heard through the state prosecutor Inspector Tionge Nkhoma that during the month of July 2025, the husband to the complainant was sick and went to Lilongwe for medical attention and was accompanied by his wife who was nursing him.

Nkhoma added that during the same month, the complainant discovered that her house was broken and 6 bags of maize each weighing 67 kilograms and her Kabongo bicycle, 200 litres empty drum, N40 battery and a 50 litre empty drum were stolen.

Nkhoma said the matter was reported to Dzoole Police Unit and investigations were launched which led to the arrest of the convict.

Some of the stolen items were recovered. The following were recovered; 200 litres drum, Kabongo bicycle, N40 battery and a 50 litre drum.

In court, Chimangeni pleaded not guilty to the charge of burglary and theft which forced the state prosecutor to parade three witness to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt.

Upon hearing the evidence, Magistrate Talakwanji Mndala convicted Chimangeni and ordered him to spend 6 years imprisonment with hard labour for burglary and 18 months imprisonment for theft the sentences to run concurrently.

Patulani Chimangeni hails from Kalama village in the area of Senior Chief Dzoole in Dowa District.