Imprisoned for faking death
The Nkukula Magistrate’s Court in Lilongwe on Monday sentenced a 37-year-old man to nine months imprisonment with hard labour for pretending to be dead in order to solicit money from relatives.
The court heard that Mphatso Nkhulambe, a tailor, on October 19, 2017 called his brother in Machinga, pretending to be someone else, and told him that Mphatso Nkhulambe is dead and needed money for his burial.
Nkhulambe’s family then sent two of the family members to Lilongwe to organize transport and take the remains to their home village for burial. However, the two could not trace him and they reported to Kanengo Police Station for assistance. Police then found him at Mgona trading centre in the city.
Nkhulambe pleaded not guilty to charges of fraud and false pretence contrary to Section 319 A(c) of the Penal Code leveled against him.
In its submission, the state through Police Prosecutor Assistant Superintendent Peter Piringu pleaded with the court to give Nkhulambe a custodial sentence to send a strong warning to others.
Second grade magistrate Ezekiel Kantikana then convicted and sentenced Nkhulambe after full trial.
Mphatso Nkhulambe hails from Kamwendo village in the area of Traditional Authority Sitola in Machinga.
