Court jails four men 18 years for robbery in Nkhata Bay

The Senior Resident Magistrate’s Court in Nkhata Bay has convicted and sentenced four armed robbers to 18 years Imprisonment with hard labour for robbing businessman Geoffrey Manda K2.5 million.

The court heard from state prosecutor Inspector Isaac Imedi of Nkhata Bay Police that the four robbed Manda on February 10, 2025 while driving his motor vehicle Toyota Voxy registration number NB 11283 from Kavuzi to Mzuzu.

The thugs who were using motor vehicle registration number PE 5259 Mazda AZ wagon jumped into Manda’s vehicle, snatched keys and drive him towards Kanduli forest while manhandling him.

After robbing him, they dumped him with his vehicle within the forest.

Joint Police investigations between Northern Region Police Headquarters detectives and those from Nkhata Bay commenced and the four were arrested.

They all denied charges of robbery prompting the state to parade seven witnesses whose evidence proved the matter beyond doubts and subsequently, the court convicted the four.

In submission, Inspector Imedi prayed for a stiffer punishment despite being first offenders stating that their actions negatively affected the complainant and that this should set as a lesson to other would be offenders.

In mitigation, the defence counsel Khwima Mchizi and Counsel Ashim Saidi pleaded for leniency in sentencing the four stating that they are first offenders, they are fairly young, no life was lost during the act and that part of the money and the car were recovered.

Passing sentence on June 18, 2025, Senior Resident Magistrate Godfrey Nyirenda quashed the mitigating factors and conccured with the state that such actions clearly indicate that there are high crime rates in South Africa as compared to Malawi since two of the principal offenders hail from South Africa.

He further stated that there was poor coordination between Malawi Police and Police in South Africa which makes it difficult to conclude that they are indeed first offenders.

He then sentenced them to 18 years imprisonment citing that this should serve as a lesson to others that Malawi should not be taken as a place where crimes can be committed by people from elsewhere.

He also ordered that the recovered money and car should be given back to the owner and that the recovered rifles should either be destroyed or be integrated into the Malawi Police Service.

The four are identified as; Alex Nyasulu Mabuza 42, from Ulazo village traditional authority Jalavikuba Mzimba, Bwekisipho Mthembu 41, from Kwazulu Natal, Durban South Africa, Amos Manda 32, from Mphatso village traditional authority Kabunduli in Nkhata Bay and Marvelous Khowane 36, from Kwazulu Natal, Durban, South Arica.