A 33-year old Aubrey Wadson has been ordered to pay a fine of K170,000 following a ruling by Mangochi First grade magistrate court on Tuesday 30, 2018 for breaking section 321 of the penal code.
The court heard through Mangochi Police prosecutor constable Augustine Kagwira that in the month of May 2018, Aubrey lied to the victim Aron Tembenu (30) that he is a businessman and he transports people and goods to South Africa when they met at Likulungwa market in the area of traditional authority Chowe in Mangochi.
Aubrey managed to skin K136,000 from the victim as transport fee after he successfully convinced him that he will take him to South Africa within a week.
After few months of excuses the victim asked the suspect to return the money he took from him but he ran away.
The victim reported the matter at Mangochi Police Station.
On October 6, 2018 Aubrey was apprehended by the Police after being on the run for sometime.
Appearing in court the accused person pleaded not guilty and the state paraded three witnesses who testified against him.
In his submission before sentence, Kagwira pleaded with the court to impose a custodial sentence as a lesson to would be offenders.
When passing judgement his worship first grade magistrate Ronald M’bwana found him with a case to answer.
He therefore ordered him to pay a fine of K170,000 in default 24 months imprisonment with hard labour. If paid K136,000 will be given back to the victim.
In the meantime the accused person is in prison after failing to pay the fine.
Aubrey hails from M’dinde village in the area of Traditional Authority Chimwala in Mangochi.
