Criminals sentenced to 16 years for robbery

The Principle Resident Magistrate court in Mzuzu on March 27, 2023 convicted and sentenced Derick Mwalughali 25, Sheriff Kachingwe 19 and Amosi Phiri 23 to 16 years imprisonment with hard labour for the offence of Robbery contrary to section 301 (2) of the Penal Code.

The court through state prosecutor Inspector Aubry Maganga, heard that on February 17, this year the complainant who is a motorcycle operator was on his usual business when two men (suspects) hired him from Luwinga to Chiwavi.

Upon arrival at Chibavi one of them invited a friend to come where they stopped. When the friend arrived, the three started assaulting the complainant and one of them went away with the motorcycle.

The complainant caught one of them but he sprayed paper spray in his eyes. After shouting for help, well wishers came and managed to apprehend one and brought him to Mzuzu police station

After investigations police managed to arrest the other two.

In court, the suspects pleaded not guilty to the charges leveled against them prompting the state to parade three witnesses to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt.

In mitigation, the three asked the court to be lenient when passing its sentence since they were first offenders and they have families to take care of.

But in its submission, the state through Maganga, prayed for a stiffer punishment to act as a lesson to other would be offenders.
He also said that robbery offences are rampant in Mzuzu, and that the three convicts planned to commit the offence.

Passing the sentence, Magistrate Chamwenda concurred with the state’s submission, hence sentenced the three to 16 years imprisonment with hard labour.

Derick Mwalughali, hails from Thom Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Mwabulambya District, Sheriff Kachingwe hails from Chingoli Village, T/A Likoswe in Chiladzulu and Amosi Philip hails from Kapunga Masiku Village T/A Chikulamayembe in Rumphi District .