The Senior Resident Magistrate Court in Lumbadzi on July 27, 2022 convicted and sentenced Owen Adson, 27, to 3 years imprisonment for the offence of burglary and theft.
The court heard through Lumbadzi Police Station prosecutor Sub Inspector Chikondi Nkosi that during the night of June 12, 2022, Adson broke into a house of Benson Balakasi at Chikoko village in Lumbadzi and went away with assorted items valued at K842,000 which includes cash amounting to K100,000.00, drilling machine, welding machine, grinder, motorcycle and bicycle.
Nkosi told the court that Adson together with the reporter left home with the intention to cheer the complainant’s relative who was sick at Mpenda village. Whilst there, the accused excused himself that he wanted to buy cigarettes at the nearby shop, a thing which was an exiting way as he went back to the complainant’s house where he broke into the house and stole assorted items.
In court, the suspect pleaded guilty to the four counts levelled against him of burglary, theft, theft of motorcycle and bicycle.
In his submission, Sub Inspector Chikondi Nkosi asked the court to slap the accused with a stiff custodial sentence citing that the offences committed are serious in nature and rampant in Lumbadzi. She added that the stolen motorcycle was not recovered hence a loss to the owner.
In his Mitigation, the accused asked the court to be lenient when delivering the sentence saying that he is a first offender who committed the offence under devil’s power.
When passing sentence Senior Resident Magistrate Montfort Misunje quashed the mitigation factors of the accused and instead he concurred with the state.
Misunje then ordered the accused to spend 3 years for the first count, 6 months for the second count, 2 years for the third count and 18 months for the fourth count imprisonment with hard labour to deter other would be offenders. The sentences will run concurrently.
Adson hails from Nazombe Village, Traditional Authority Chikowi in Zomba District.
Sergeant Felix Kwinyani Public Relations Officer Lumbadzi Police Station
Cell; 0995 334 000