First Grade Magistrate Court in Mulanje recently ordered four women to pay K100, 000 as a fine for abducting a man who works for Lujeri Tea Company.
The court passed the sentence on upon finding Achimwanji Adam, 35, Fatsanao Adam, 49, Hendrina Pindani, 19 and Ireen Dauson, 36, guilty for the misconduct.
According to the police report, two years ago, the four accused and others encroached into the land for tea estate belonging to Lujeri Tea Company and when the issue was taken to court in 2018, the verdict favoured the company.
Despite the verdict, in May this year, people from the same village went back into the land claiming that it belonged to their parents. The company reported the matter back to police at Muloza where officers arrested Martin Pindani, a brother to the four.
The report further says following the arrest, the four accused kidnapped Thomas Nandolo, a tractor assistant at the company in order to force police to release their relative.
Mulanje Police Public Relations Officer, Gresham Ngwira told Malawi News Agency (Mana) police rescued the victim and arrested the four, charging them with an offence of abduction that contravenes section 262 of the Penal Code.
Ngwira added: “Later the matter was taken to court where the four pleaded guilty and were ordered to pay the amount to the victim as compensation.”
