Zomba magistrate court has sentenced a first year old chancellor college student to three years imprisonment after he was found guilty of falsely registering himself with the college.

The convict has been identified as Emmanuel Zosiyirana John who comes from Nsuluma Village in the area of Traditional Authority Njema in Mulanje.

The court heard that the convict registered himself as a Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) 12 points scorer Goodson Kangaza to qualify for Bachelor of Social Science studies at the college.

Eastern Region Police Prosecution Inspector, Superintendent Solomon Gomezgani Mchawi told the court that Zosiyirana committed a crime of ‘Personating a person named in a certificate’ which contravenes Section 391 Sub Section 2 of the Penal Code

Mchawi said the convict scored 27 points during the 2013 MSCE and falsely registered as a holder of MSCE with 12 points and further changed the name to Goodson Kangaza to earn himself a place in the tertiary institution.

Both Zosiyirana and Kangaza were students at Zomba Catholic Secondary School where they sat for the 2013 MSCE exams.

The court also heard that after some time the two met and the convict discovered that the 12 points MSCE holder failed to get into college due to economic factors.

“In their deliberations, your worship, Zosiyirana learnt that Kangaza reserved a place at the college and this prompted the convict to ask him to use his certificate and offer letter to get entry into the college,” the prosecutor told the court.

Mchawi added that Zosiyirana made his way into the college’s Social Science and Gender Studies programme.

“Feeling uncomfortable with the borrowed identities, the convict went to Mulunguzi Magistrate Court in Zomba to change the falsely registered name of Goodson Kangaza to Emmanuel Z. John.

“This name changing surprised Assistant Registrar of Academics who alerted the police,”

Superintendent Mchawi said, adding that the police arrested the convict.

Zosiyirana pleaded guilty and admitted to two charges including that of Perjury.
However, Mchawi asked the court to give the young man a custodial sentence notwithstanding his status of being a first offender.

“This would lead to deprivation of social and economic enjoyment of the true bearer of the certificate who worked hard to get such grades and documents,” Mchawi challenged in pursuit of justice.

Passing sentence, Zomba Chief Resident Magistrate, Paul Chiotcha concurred with the state on the need to grant Zosiyirana a custodial sentence.

Chiotcha, therefore, sentenced the ‘first year student’ to serve three years imprisonment on each count of impersonation of a person named in a certificate and perjury which will run concurrently.

Zosiyirana comes from Nsuluma Village in the area of Traditional Authority Njema in Mulanje.