Uncertified Scale cost business man fines in Mponela

The Mponela First Grade Magistrate’s Court in
Dowa has fined a 22-year-old man, Innocent Salamba, to pay a fine of K200, 000.00 or in default serve 3 months imprisonment with hard labour for buying farm produce using uncertified scale and unrecommended price.

The court through state prosecutor Sub Inspector Benedicto Mathambo heard that on April 4, 2023 at around 15:00 hours officers from Mponela Police Station were on vehicle patrols led by the station officer for Mponela Police Senior Superintendent Makalani Mbwana.

Upon reaching at Mlengwe Trading Centre, they receive a tip that Innocent Salamba was buying farm produce lower than the recommended price that was introduced by the Malawi Government hence his arrest.

Appearing before court Salamba pleaded guilty to the charges of buying farm produce below the recommended price and without licence contrary to Section 3 of Agriculture Act and buying farm produce using uncertified scale contrary to Section 3(d) of the Agriculture General Purposes Act.

In his submission, state prosecutor Sub Inspector Mathambo asked the court to give a stiff punishment, saying the act is becoming rampant in the area and that the punishment will act as a warning to other would-be offenders.

Passing sentence, First Grade Magistrate Talakwanji Mndala concurred with the state’s submission and fined Salamba to pay K120, 000.00 for buying farm produce with uncertified scale and K80, 000.00 for buying farm produce using uncertified scale or in default to serve 3 months imprisonment with hard labour.

Innocent Salamba hails from Chizenga village in the area of Traditional Authority Kayembe in Dowa District.