The Senior Resident Magistrate’s Court in Mzuzu on Wednesday, November 3, 2021 convicted and sentenced a 27-year-old Thula Ngwira to 9 years imprisonment with hard labour for breaking into a building and commit a felony therein.
The court heard through state prosecutor, Sergeant Christina Shadreck, that Ngwira planned to commit the offence.
Shadreck further told the court that Ngwira planned to commit the offence because he haired a tax to Mzuzu University’s labolatory where he committed the offence. Ngwira went away with a plasma screen and decoder.
Ngwira was charged with the offence of breaking into a building and commit a felony therein, contrary to section 311 of the Penal Code.
However, he pleaded not guilty to the charge leveled against him, this prompted the state to parade three witnesses who testified against him.
Prosecutor Shadreck submitted to the court that Ngwira inflinged the moral values of Malawian society. She prayed to the court to impose a meaningful sentence to Ngwira in order to deter would-be offenders.
In mitigation, Ngwira asked for court’s leniency when passing a sentence to him because he is a first offender and he has a big family responsibility.
In his sentence, Senior Resident Magistrate Issa Maulidi concurred with the state about the seriousness of the offence. He sentenced Ngwira to nine years imprisonment with hard labour.
Ngwira hails from Beneka Village, Traditional Authority Mabulabo in Mzimba District.
Sergeant Enala Kalua
Mzuzu Police Station
Deputy PRO