The Nchalo Second Grade Magistrate’s Court has sentenced Hosiwa Nkhunguni to 9 years imprisonment with hard labour for robbing a business lady of K10,000 cash.
Nkhunguni and his accomplice, who is at large, robbed 30-year-old Fanny Mkweza on the evening of 30 December 2018 at Nchalo Trading Centre.
The court, through State Prosecutor Sergeant Martin Chatambalala, heard that Mkweza was coming from her business place when she was attacked by Hosiwa and his accomplice.
“In their violent attack, the two hit the lady on her forehead with a brick, injuring her in the process.
“Some bicycle-taxi operators rushed to the scene and apprehended one suspect( Nkhunguni),” narrated Chatambalala in court.
Nkhunguni’s partner had already escaped with the cash.
Nkhunguni was charged with robbery to which he denied, forcing the state to parade three witnesses.
He was subsequently found guilty as charged.
The state prayed to the court to hand out a stiffer penalty considering that he was violent in his robbery.
In his mitigation, however, Nkhunguni pleaded with the court to be lenient saying he was on antiretroviral therapy ( ART) treatment as well as suffering from acute tuberculosis ( TB).
In passing sentence, Second Grade Magistrate John Nsomba quashed the accused’s mitigating factors, describing them as lame excuses.
He argued that Hosiwa would have taken into account his health conditions before committing the crime.
Nsomba went ahead convicting and sentencing Nkhunguni to 9 years in prison as a lesson to others.
He comes from Sekeni Village under Paramount Chief Lundu in Chikwawa District.
