Zomba senior resident magistrate court has sentenced three criminals who have been robbing banks in the country to 12 years imprisonment each.
The three, Chande Saidi 22, Nix Frank Dauda 27 and Robert Kadzuwa 37 were arrested for robbing Opportunity International Bank of Malawi (OIBM).
State Prosecutor Counsel Louis Makiyi told the court that on 13th April, 2016, Nix Frank Dauda and Robert Kadzuwa broke into area 25 opportunity International Bank of Malawi (OIBM) and robbed cash amounting to K16,240,350.00.
“The two accused persons Chande Saidi and Nix Frank Dauda escaped from Maula Prison where they were on remand leaving Robert Kadzuwa and were arrested in Mangochi district after committing another bank robbery at NBS bank branch,” the prosecutor told the court.
The police prosecutor asked the court to hand the criminals a stiff punishment considering that they were not first offenders as they are currently serving a 22 year jail term for similar offences.
He said in 2016, the convicts Chande Saidi and Nix Frank Dauda were sentenced to 8 years by his worship Wyson Nkhata for bank robbery that took place at NBS bank Mangochi branch. In the same year, the two were sentenced to 10 years by his Worship Howard Pemba for another bank robbery that took place at Liwonde NBS bank branch before being sentenced to 4 years imprisonment with hard labour.
In mitigation, the men asked the court to be considerable in handing them the sentence saying that they are now changed people.
But when passing the judgment on Thursday, Senior Magistrate Paul Chiotcha concurred with the state prosecutor for a stiff punishment stating that the men are a threat to society.
He said from the evidences given in court, it proved that the crime committed was well organized and a considerable amount of cash has not been recovered.
He therefore sentenced Chande Saidi and Nix Frank Dauda to 12 years imprisonment with hard labour each while Robert Kadzuwa was handed a 9 year jail term.
He said Chande Saidi and Nix Frank Dauda will start serving this sentence after completing the current 22 years custodial sentence which means they will be behind bars for 34 years. On Robert Kadzuwa, Chiotcha said the sentence will start operating from April 22nd, 2016.
