The Second Grade Magistrate’s court in Nkhata Bay District, has convicted and sentenced a 19-year-old Mike Chirwa to 6 years imprisonment with hard labour for robbing Chikondi Nyirenda of a Kinglion motorbike worth K1, 750, 000. 00.

The court heard through state prosecutor Sub Inspector Isaac Imed that the suspect committed the offence on the night of April 3, 2024 within Kawalazi Tea Estate.

Chirwa posed as a faithful passenger hiring the motorbike to ferry him to a certain place within the estate.

On the way however, before reaching the actual destination, the passenger turned against the rider, hacked him in the head with a machete before they both fell down.

The suspect went away with the bike but he was apprehended later by watchmen of the estate and brought him to Nkhata Bay Police Station where he was charged with robbery.

In court on his first appearance on April 12, 2024 he denied the charge prompting the state to parade three witnesses who testified against him.

During subsequent proceedings on May 8, 2024 the court convicted the suspect paving way to the state for submission.

The state prosecutor Imed in submission, said despite the fact that the convict is the first offender, the court should consider the seriousness of the offence and that he committed it in a barbaric way. Imed added that cases such as these are getting rampant, hence prayed for deterrent sentence.

In mitigation, the convict said he is at school and that he will never repeat the evil hence prayed for leniency.

Passing sentence, the Second Grade Magistrate Alex Mailosi quashed the mitigating factors and concurred with the state.

Mailosi said an energetic young boy like him would have invested his powers in other income generating activities rather than earning on a silver platter. He finally sentenced him to 6 years IHL effective from the date of his arrest.

He hails from Chivwayika Village, T/A M’bwana in Nkhata Bay District.