The Senior Resident Magistrate’s Court ordered two Malawians, Alex Sain, and Patrick Shaba to pay K100,000 each for transporting illegal immigrants.
The court heard that during the night of Tuesday, May 25, 2021 police in the district arrested the two and two Ethiopian nationals; Tonaka Tashala, 27, and Erano Serano, 28, at a check point.
The four were in a motor vehicle registration number MHG 1625 Toyota Ractis from the direction of Limbe to Mulanje.
Sain and Shaba were charged with an offence of transporting illegal immigrants contrary to Section 36 (a) of the Immigration Act while the two foreigners were charged with illegal entry contrary to Section 21 (1) of the same Act.
Appearing before magistrate Shahida Hannif Bakili, the two pleaded guilty to the charge.
In submission, Sub Inspector Lawrence Kambale asked the court to give a stiff sentence, saying such cases are currently common in the country posing a security threat.
In mitigation, the convicts prayed for leniency, saying they have huge responsibilities in their respective homes.
But making her determination, magistrate Bakili sided with the state for a stiff penalty. She therefore ordered the two to pay K100,000 fine or in default stay in jail for two years.
Sain and Shaba who both come from Namawona Village, Traditional Authority Njema in Mulanje, have since paid the fine.
Meanwhile, the court has ordered the two foreigners to go back to Dzaleka Refugee Camp where they claim to have come from.
