Salima First Grade Magistrate Court has convicted and sentenced two men to 10 years Imprisonment with Hard Labour (IHL) for stealing 13 herds of cattle.
The two, Chiwaya, 29, and Sitima Phiri, 31, were arrested by villagers in Pila Village Traditional Authority Kuulunda in Salima on August 17 last year after they hid the stolen herds in Lifuwu Military Range Hills.
The State Prosecutor, Superintendent Lloyd Magweje, told the court that the duo was spotted by some women who were fetching firewood and they reported them to the police.
In mitigation, Chiwaya and Phiri asked for a lenient sentence such as community service saying they have been in custody for so long.
In passing the sentence, Magistrate Anthony Banda quashed the duo’s mitigations and instead sentenced Chiwaya and Phiri to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour to deter would-be offenders.
Chiwaya comes from Yonam Village, Traditional Authority Kalonga in Salima while Phiri comes from Malasa Village in Traditional Authority Malengachanzi in Nkhotakota.
MBC
