Court to sentence ex-Mozambican police officer Friday

The Chief Resident Magistrate’s Court in Mzuzu is on Friday expected to sentence a former Mozambican police officer.

Lameck Simbule, 57, of Msungwi Village,Traditional Authority (T/A) Angonia in Tete province, Mozambique, was arrested on June 5 2015 after he shot at a police officer who was pursuing him.

Simbule is alleged to have shot twice at the police officer but missed his target and was apprehended.

He was charged with illegal entry, being found in possession of a prohibited weapon and attempting to commit a felony.

He, earlier, pleaded guilty to the charge of being found in possession of an offensive weapon and illegal entry, but denied the other charge.

However, five witnesses were paraded and the court was convinced with the State’s submissions against the suspect.

The court, on Wednesday, found Simbule guilty on all three counts and convicted him.

In mitigation, the convict pleaded for leniency, saying he was old, a first offender and that he had come to Malawi in good faith to sell the gun.

However, police prosecutor Christopher Katani asked the court to hand the convict a stiff sentence because possession of an illegal firearm is a serious offence.

“Illegal arms pose a threat to lives and the Judiciary ought to give stiff penalties to instill confidence in Malawians that the courts will help curb such cases,” said Katani.