66 Year-old Man Jailed 5 Years For Chopping Off Alleged Sweet Potato Thief’s Fingers in Mangochi
Published on June 12, 2026 at 4:48 PM by Evance Kapito
The Monkey Bay First Grade Magistrate’s Court has sentenced a 66-year-old man, Mavuto Saulosi, to five years in prison for chopping off three fingers of a man he accused of stealing sweet potatoes.
Saulosi, who comes from Bonomali Village under Traditional Authority Namkumba in Mangochi District, committed the offence on June 5, 2026.
According to State prosecutor Lyson Kachikondo, the convict was captured in a viral video showing him chopping off three fingers from the left hand of Chikondi Samuel after accusing him of stealing sweet potatoes from his field.
Kachikondo told the court that villagers shared the video with police, prompting officers from Monkey Bay Police Station to launch investigations and arrest Saulosi the following day.
Appearing before the court, Saulosi pleaded guilty to the charge of causing grievous harm.
The State asked the court to impose a deterrent sentence, arguing that such acts of mob justice have no place in society and should be discouraged.
In mitigation, Saulosi pleaded for leniency, saying he was the sole breadwinner for his family.
However, First Grade Magistrate Lawrence Mangani agreed with the State’s submission, stating that acts of mob justice have the potential to fuel violence in communities and violate the rights of others.
The court subsequently sentenced Saulosi to five years imprisonment, effective from the date of his arrest.
