Two jailed for breaking into building
The Mkukula Magistrate Court in Lumbadzi on Monday sentenced Julius Kashungula and Lawrence Banda to 42 months imprisonment with hard labour (IHL) for breaking into a building and committing a felony therein.
State prosecutor Peter Piringu had earlier told First Grade Magistrate Cecelia Onsewa that Kashungula and Banda, on the night of December 1, 2016, broke a warehouse belonging to Master Industrial Company in Area 29, Kanengo.
“They went away with 32 bags of rice valued at about K1.5 million and were only cornered by an Investigation team at Kanengo Police Station,” said Piringu.
In mitigation, Kashungula pleaded with the court to hand him a lenient sentence because he uses an artificial leg. On the other hand, Banda said that he is a first offender.
This notwithstanding, Onsewa slapped the duo with a custodial sentence.
She said the crime the two committed attracts a maximum sentence of 10 years IHL.
Kashungula, 43, hails from Nkanire village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Kayembe in Dowa while Banda hails from Mduka village, T/A Kaomba in Kasungu.
In a related development, the same court ordered Stanford Victor to pay a fine of K200 000 or in default serve 12 months IHL for being found in possession of Indian hemp.
The Kanengo 990 Patrol team on November 14 2016 intercepted 400 kilogrammes of chamba at Area 51 in the Capital City.
Victor, 30, also known as Rasta in his neighborhood, hails from Mphako village, Traditional Authority Kabudula in Lilongwe district.
