Senior Resident Magistrate court in Lilongwe has convicted and sentenced 18 year man to  12 years imprisonment for for attacking and robbing of property worth K70 thousand from a passersby.

Assistant Public Relations Officer for Lilongwe Police Constable Khumbo Sanyiwa has confirmed the arrest and indented the suspect as Blessings Banda.

Sanyiwa said that the court heard through Lilongwe Police Prosecutor, Sub Inspector Clement Amiel, that Banda (convict) and two other accomplices committed the offence on January 3, 2024 at Area 1 behind Wullian shops where they threatened a certain complainant with knives and robbed him of his items such as Samsung Galaxy, itel keypad phone, and K16 thousand cash.

Appearing in court, Banda pleaded guilty to the charge of Robbery, but his accomplices denied the charge.

The court later convicted him following his own plea of guilty.

In mitigation, the convict asked for leniency to the court when passing its sentence saying he is a first time offender, and that he voluntary pleaded guilty.

But in its submission, the State through Prosecutor Clement, prayed for stiffer sentence saying the complainant suffered trauma as a result of the attack perpetrated by Banda (convict) and his accomplices.

Passing his sentence, Senior Resident Magistrate Shukran Kumbani, concurred with the State, saying the offence Banda committed is serious in nature.

Kumbani, then went on to slap Banda with a 12-year imprisonment to serve as a deterrent to other would be offenders.

Meanwhile, trial of Banda’s two accomplices who pleaded not guilty continues in court. The State is expected to parade witnesses to prove the case.

Blessings Banda hails from Kasozo Village, Traditional Authority Mkanda in Mchinji District.