Two Jailed Five Years for Stealing Cooking Oil in Chitipa

Two men have been sentenced to five years imprisonment with hard labour by the First Grade Magistrate Court in Chitipa for breaking into a building and stealing cooking oil worth K780,000.

The court heard that Lusekelo Mwakalinga and Michael Mwenefumbo committed the offence on the night of March 17, 2026, at Ishalikila Village under Senior Chief Mwaulambya in Chitipa District.

State Prosecutor Sergeant Kondwani Malanga told the court that the two broke into a storeroom and stole 120 litres of cooking oil.

The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charge. However, the State paraded four witnesses whose testimonies proved the case beyond reasonable doubt.

In his ruling, First Grade Magistrate Billy Ngosi said cases of breaking into buildings and theft are becoming common in Chitipa, causing significant losses to victims.

He subsequently sentenced the two convicts to five years imprisonment with hard labour as a deterrent to would-be offenders.