Six traders sentenced to seven days community service
Mangochi Senior Resident Magistrate’s court on Tuesday July 20, 2021 convicted and sentenced six traders to clean at Mangochi District Hospital and court premises respectively for one and half hour a day in seven days for failing to comply with licence conditions contrary to regulation 8(b) of Agriculture(general purposes) Act.
During court proceedings, Mangochi Police Prosecutor Sergeant John Makawa told the court that, on July 16, 2021, Mangochi Police officers intensified patrols in the various parts of the district enforcing measures of controlling tendency by unscrupulous traders who are roaming around in the villages to buy farm produce from less privileged farmers.
In the process they intercepted Chipwepwete, 33, and others who violated conditions of their licences which do not allow them to conduct farm produce business in Mangochi.
Appearing in court all the accused persons pleaded guilty to their charges.
In mitigation, the accused persons asked the court for leniency saying that they are bread winners to their families but the state prayed for stiffer penalties while reminding the court that the traders defied conditions set by the government which are supposed to be abided by every trader.
When passing judgement , Senior Resident Magistrate Rodrick Michongwe expressed his concern over the accused persons conducts.
He therefore sentenced three of them to clean the court premises while the other three to clean Mangochi District Hospital for one and half hour a day in seven days in default to three months imprisonment with hard labour.
In the meantime, the convicts have started their punishments which is being inspected by Senior Resident Magistrate Rodrick Michongwe himself and their motor vehicles will be released after the completion of their punishments.
Sub Inspector Amina Tepani Daudi
PRO-Mangochi Police Station
Cell:0999-706-525
Email:mamateps1152@gmail.com