Chipata High Court sentences two criminals to death

The High Court in Chipata has sentenced two people to death after they were found guilty of two counts of murder and aggravated robbery respectively.

 
Before High Court Judge Petronella Ngulube were Arnold Zulu, 23, unemployed of Mchini Compound in Chipata and Mike Phiri, 20, a businessperson of Machinga district in Malawi.
 
Facts before the court are that on February 27, 2016, the convicts murdered Rebecca Daka and robbed Richard Daka, the husband of the deceased, of a motor vehicle, namely, a Toyota Vitz, registration number ALF 8085 and two cell phones all valued at K 36, 100=00 by using violence.
 
Nine witnesses, including the key witness, Richard Daka, were called to testify in the case which the court found the two guilty of two counts of murder and aggravated robbery respectively.
 
Justice Ngulube said the court proved beyond reasonable doubt that all the testimonies given by the prosecution witnesses showed that the convicts committed the offences.
“There is overwhelming evidence that you killed Rebecca Daka and robbed Richard Daka of a motor vehicle and two cell phones, all valued at K 36, 100=00 and I, therefore, sentence you to hung by the neck until you are pronounced dead,’’ she said.
 
And a person, who witnessed the judgement, commended the court for its judgement, saying it would deter other would-be offenders.
 
Gibson Banda, chairperson of Kapasa Trading area in Chief Chanje’s area in Chipata, said he was happy with the court’s decision and called for all those in rural areas to unite and report any suspicious looking people to police.
 
Mr Banda said government was sending officers to teach pupils in rural areas and there was need to protect them so that they work in a conducive environment.
 
Meanwhile, police in Chipata are investigating a case in which eight people, armed with firearms, attacked a businessperson and robbed him of a vehicle and K 45, 000=00 cash.
 
Eastern region Police Commissioner, Alex Chilufya, said Godfrey Sakala was attacked last Friday by criminals who went away with a Toyota Premio, registration number ARB 1099, some cash and a nine millimetre pistol.
 
Mr Chilufya said the suspects tied his legs and arms and drove him 500 metres away from his house where he was abandoned.
 
“The suspects attacked Mr Sakala when he approached the main entrance of his house at Mwami border after they smashed a glass of the door on the driver’s seat,’’ he said.
 
Mr Chilufya noted that the vehicle was recovered in Mchini Extension area in Chipata the following day with keys left in the ignition and no arrest has since been made.
 
The Police Commissioner said it was suspected that the people who attacked him could have been those he knew very well because during the robbery, they covered their faces with masks.
 
He warned that people who are in business not to carry huge sums of money on them as it possess threats on them and people around them, adding that the man could have been tracked by the robbers.