The First Grade Magistrate court sitting in Limbe on June, 23, ordered 32-year-old Luciano Maxwell to spend the next 72 months behind bars for robbing a Makhetha resident of his cellphone in Blantyre.

According to Limbe Police Prosecution Officer, Assistant Superintendent Lloyd Kachotsa, the victim, Bernard Kaunda, 22, met his fate on February 4, 2021 at Maone in Limbe on his way home after knocking off from his workplace in Mapanga.

Assistant Superintendent Kachotsa told the court that the convict while armed with a panga knife and in company of his colleague robbed the victim of his Huawei cellphone valued at K28,000 and threatened to stab him.

Kachotsa further told the court that the victim overpowered Maxwell and with assistance from well-wishers, Maxwell was apprehended while the other suspect escaped.

He was taken to Limbe police where he was charged with robbery, a case that contravenes Section 301(2) of the penal code.

When he appeared in court, he denied the charge levelled against him. This prompted the state prosecutor to parade three witnesses who testified against him, proving him guilty beyond reasonable doubt.

In mitigation, he prayed for leniency, saying he has a responsibility of taking care of his family and mother.

In submission, Assistant Superintendent Kachotsa asked the court to mete out a deterrent sentence saying the offence committed is serious in nature.

While concurring with Kachotsa, the presiding Magistrate, First Grade Magistrate Soka Banda, quashed the convict’s migation factors. He therefore, sentenced Maxwell to 72 months imprisonment with hard labour to deter would-be-offenders.

Luciano Maxwell hails from Mithiko village, in the area of Traditional Authority Mpama in Chiradzulu.