The Balaka Second Grade Magistrate court has sentenced Patrick Banet, 22, to 18 months imprisonment with hard labour for stealing goat.
Bapaka police station deputy publicist Precious Makuta said sub inspector Getrude Kafumbula, a state prosecutor based at Balaka Police Station, informed the court that during the night of 29 to 30 January, 2020, the convict broke into the kraal and stole a goat valued at K25,000 that belonging to Rhoda Liwonde ,39.
According to Makuta, this happened at Kunkwawa village, Traditional Authority Phalula in the district.
“The prosecutor further told the court that the convict proposed a girl whom he wanted to marry and he stole goat to use it at his engagement ceremony,”
“The prosecutor then pleaded with the court for a meaningful custodial sentence to the accused so that others should learn a lesson,” he said.
Second Grade Magistrate Victor Sibu said the offence committed attracts a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison but the court had looked into several factors such as plea of guilty which saved the court’s time and recovery of the goat and the accused being the first offender.
The magistrate, however, said that despite all these factors a proper sentence had to be given to the convict to send a signal to would be offenders hence handing down 18 months imprisonment with hard labour.
Patrick Banet hails from Kumkwawa village, Traditional Authority Phalula in Balaka district.
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