Stiff punishments will reduce crime—magistrate
Liwonde First Grade Magistrate’s Court has convicted four men for housebreaking and theft contrary to Section 309 and 278 of the Penal Code. The court has also fined one for receiving stolen property contrary to Section 328 of the Penal Code.
Pilirani Phiri and Aubrey White, both aged 18, were each sentenced to 10 years imprisonment while Samson Batumeo (23) and Victor Aufi (19) were sentenced to three years imprisonment. Bashir Samson (22) was fined K10 000 for receiving stolen property.
Inspector Ezekiel Kalunga of Liwonde Police told the court that on April 14 2016, the cited convicts broke into the house of Jean Chikoko in Liwonde and stole a Samsung plasma television set, three decoders, a laptop computer, laptop bags and other electronic gadgets worth K400 000.
The police recovered the decoders, laptop bags, irons, TV set and solar panel.
Kalunga asked the court to give the convicts a stiff punishment to teach others a lesson.
In her ruling, first grade magistrate Esther Phiri said: “Stiff punishments are the only way of restoring peace and order in our communities, hence the tough sentences.”
Pilirani Phiri, Batumeo and Aufi come from Ng’ombe Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Nsamala while White is from Samati Village, T/A Kalembo in Machinga. On the other hand, Samson comes from Nsamati Village, T/A Kalembo all in Balaka District.
