The Lilongwe Chief Resident Magistrate’s Court has sentenced two men each to 12 years in prison for robbing a 26-year old woman K5000 cash before they raped her.

The two, Frank James Mdyomba and Rodgers Namadenga Satana, were convicted on their own plea on Tuesday.

The court, through State Prosecutor Bauleni Namasani, heard that the duo were among five thugs that attacked the victim on the night of 16 October last year between Sana Mega Shop and Lizulu Market in Area 4 within the city.

The victim was on her way from her workplace when the pair attacked and robbed her.

Three others, Positani Makanja, Deziderio Mathiya and another currently at large, went on to rape the victim.

Makanja is already serving a 22-year jail sentence while Mathiya is being remanded at Maula Prison awaiting a sentence.

On Tuesday, James Mdyomba and Namadenga Satana confessed to robbing the woman.

However, the state, through Sub Inspector Namasani, argued for harsh sentences despite the duo being first time offenders.

Namasani further said the duo paved way for the victim to be raped by three other thugs.

This, he argued on, had left the victim severely traumatized to the extent that she moved out of Lilongwe to her home village.

In his determination, Chief Resident Magistrate Patrick Chirwa concurred with the state, saying such an organized crime couldn’t be entertained.
Chirwa went on to slap the two each with 12 years imprisonment with hard labour.

James Mdyomba, 21, comes from Moto Village, Traditional Authority Jalasi in Mangochi District and Namadenga Satana, 23, is from Mponda Village Traditional Authority Nsamala in Balaka District.