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The Magistrate’s Court in Chikwawa has ordered two men to spend 42 months in jail for stealing irrigation equipment belonging to Illovo Sugar Company.
Chikwawa Police Station public relations officer Constable Foster Benjamin identified the convicts as Friday John, 33, and Andrew Edward, 42 who were found guilty on Wednesday before Nchalo Second Grade Magistrate’s Court.
State Prosecutor Martin Chatambalala told the court that, on the night of 28 December, 2018, the convicts sneaked into the company’s canefield and stole 49 steel extensions, horse pipes and sprinklers worth over K2 million.
“The suspects were arrested on the following night in a bush as they were loading the items in a truck,” narrated Chatambalala.
In their trial, John and Edward denied the theft charges levelled on them, arguing they were employed by some businessperson to carry the items for him but they failed to trace the said person.
The court, however, found the two guilty as charged following an overwhelming evidence tendered by the state.
The state asked the court to impose harsh sentences on the accused.
Second Grade Magistrate John Nsomba concurred with the state and slapped the two each with 42 months imprisonment with hard labour.
The magistrate said the sentence would not only transform the offenders to good citizens but also serve as a warning to other would-be offenders.
Friday comes from Mfunde village in the area of Senior Chief Makhwira in Chikwawa District while Edward is from Masapula village in the area of Traditional Authority Mpama in Chiradzulu District.
