Five years in jail for Burglary in Rumphi
The First Grade Magistrate Court in Rumphi on Monday July 25, 2022 convicted and sentenced a 31 year – old Amos Nyirenda to five and half years imprisonment with hard labour for committing offences of burglary and theft which contravene section 309(2) and 278 of the Penal Code respectively.
Rumphi Police Station’s prosecutor, Sub Inspector Paul Phiri told the court that, on July 21, 2022 around 00:25 midnight at Vongo area, Nyirenda broke into a house where students from Vongo CDSS were staying as self boarders.
Nyirenda found the said students fast asleep. As he was walking inside the house, he stepped on one of the students who immediately woke and switched on her torch to see who stepped on her.
The student recognized the suspect in question and shouted for help but Nyirenda ran away.
After sunrise, the Landlord and students followed up the matter to the house of suspect where they recovered the stolen cell phone in the suspect’s house.
Nyirenda was apprehended and taken to Rumphi Police Station where he was charged with the two counts of burglary and theft.
In court, Nyirenda pleaded guilty to charges levelled against him. However, he asked for court’s lenience saying that he is a first offender and a breadwinner.
In his submission, prosecutor Phiri prayed for stiff penalty in order to earn him a lesson and deter the would be offenders.
Passing judgement, First Grade Magistrate Cuthbert Phiri quashed Nyirenda’s mitigation and conquered with state submissions.
He therefore awarded Nyirenda five and half years imprisonment with hard labour for first count and 30 months for second count. Both sentences to run concurrently
The convict comes from Chizungu Village under Traditional Authority Jalavikuba in Mzimba district.
