Balaka Woman Pays K750k to Dodge Jail After Being Caught With Pistol As A Parcel From South Africa
Published on February 5, 2026 at 10:10 AM by Evance Kapito
A 55-year-old woman from Balaka has narrowly escaped a 15-month stint behind bars after paying a K750,000 fine for being found in possession of a special delivery from South Africa a pistol and seven rounds of ammunition.
The convict, Rhoda Amos, of Lupanga Village, Traditional Authority Nsamala, appeared before the Balaka First Grade Magistrate’s Court following her arrest on New Year’s Day, 2026.
The court heard through State Prosecutor Superintendent Bodwin Msukwa that police acted on a tip-off from “well-wishers” who led them to Rhoda’s house. During the search, detectives uncovered a pistol and seven bullets wrapped in a plastic “jumbo” and hidden inside a sack bag.
Upon interrogation, the woman dropped a bombshell: the lethal cargo wasn’t hers. She told police the firearm was sent by her 35-year-old son, Amos Poison, who is currently based in Johannesburg, South Africa. To beat border security, the weapon was reportedly smuggled into Malawi hidden inside a subwoofer.
Rhoda pleaded guilty to the charge of being found in possession of a firearm without a permit or license.
In his ruling, First Grade Magistrate Augustine Mizaya noted the dangerous nature of the offense.
“The weapon is offensive and a threat to the community,” the Magistrate stated, agreeing with the state that a stiff sentence was necessary to deter others. He ordered her to pay a fine of K750,000 or serve 15 months imprisonment with hard labor.
By the end of the day, the 55-year-old managed to settle the fine, securing her freedom, though her son—the sender of the “musical” pistol—remains in the Rainbow Nation.
