Herbalist Fined k800 Thousand For Assault In Dowa

32-year-old herbalist in Dowa has been convicted and sentenced to pay a fine of K80,000.00 or in default serve 12 months imprisonment with hard labour for the offence of assault occasioning actual bodily harm contrary to Section 241 of the Penal Code.

State prosecutor Inspector Christopher Daluni told Dowa Third Grade Magistrate’s Court that the convict Pilirani Maliseni, on June 15 2022 at Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Dowa District assaulted Lewis Mthengomwacha at a beer drinking joint.

The court further learnt that during the assault, the convict also stole money amounting to K2000 belonging to the victim.

Soon after committing the offence, the convict escaped from the scene. It took the efforts of community policing members within Dzaleka to hunt for the convict and arrested him.

Appearing before court, the convict pleaded not guilty to a charge of assault occassioning actual bodily harm. This prompted the state to parade three witnesses who testified against the convict and he was convicted accordingly.

In his submission, state prosecutor Inspector Daluni pleaded with the court to pass a stiff punishment to the offender as a deterrent to others.

Passing sentence, Third Grade Magistrate Chifundo Matchaya concurred with the state’s submission and sentenced the herbalist to pay a fine of K80,000.00 or in default serve 12 months imprisonment with hard labour.

He has since paid the fine.

The herbalist, Pilirani Maliseni, comes from Kapala Village in the area of Traditional Authority Msakambewa in Dowa District.