The Lilongwe First Grade Magistrate’s Court on Monday convicted and sentenced Louis Zulu, 34, to three years imprisonment with hard labor for stealing toilet material at Kaning’a CCAP Church.

According Lingadzi Police Public Relations Officer, Salome Zgambo, the court heard through police prosecutor Sub-Inspector Tisungane  Makiyi that on October 11 2020, at around 09:00 hours, Zulu went to Kaning’a CCAP Church at Area 47 in Lilongwe  where he stole toilet flash handle.

A guard apprehended Zulu after finding the item in his bag.

“Zulu is an ex-convict who has been to jail more than three times for similar offences. It has been noticed that he targets churches and public offices in committing crimes. Apart from Kaning’a CCAP, the convict was also among the gang that attacked St Patrick’s Parish in Area 18,” Zgambo said.

The State Prosecutor pleaded with the court for a stiffer custodial sentence to teach him a lesson citing his failure to change in previous convictions and a custodial sentence will be a lesson to would be offenders.

Louis was convicted and sentenced on his own plea of guilty.

In mitigation, Louis pleaded with the court for leniency saying that he is usually out of mind when committing crimes.

Passing sentence, First Grade Magistrate Robert Botha concurred with the state, saying that committing the same offence more than three times is not a mistake but rather a habit which deserves punishment, hence slapped him with a three year jail term with hard labour.

Zulu hails from Tembwe Village in Traditional Authority (TA) Mlonyeni in Mchinji district.

Credit: Manna