The Dowa First Grade Magistrate’s Court sitting at Msongandeu Court on Tuesday convicted and sentenced a driver and three women to pay various fines for being found in possession of forest produce without a licence.

The court through state prosecutor Sergeant Regina Namakhwa heard that the convicts Boniface Modayi, 32 (Driver) and three the women namely; Talekeleni Nsomba, 33, Esther Samalani, 30, and Alinafe Chiphiko, 34, were arrested on March 26 2022 at Mvera Roadblock in Dowa for being found in possession of firewood without a licence.

She further told the court that on the particular day the driver of the motor vehicle registration number MN9663 Toyota Ace one and half tonne (Boniface Modayi) was coming from the direction of Salima heading to Lilongwe.

After being searched at Mvera Roadblock, it was discovered that the motor vehicle had carried indigenous firewood without a licence. This led to the arrest of the driver of the motor vehicle, Boniface Modayi.

She said later in the day, three women Esther Samalani, Talekeleni Nsomba and Alinafe Chiphiko came and claimed to be the owners of the indigenous firewood and they were also arrested.

Appearing before court, four pleaded guilty to a charge of found in possession of forest produce without a licence contrary to Section 68 of the Forest Act.

In her submission, state prosecutor Sergeant Regina Namakhwa asked the court to pass a stiff punishment to the offenders as a warning to other would-be offenders.

Passing sentence, First Grade Magistrate Amran Phiri concurred with the state’s submission and ordered Boniface Modayi (Driver) to pay a fine of K50 000.00 or in default serve 4 months imprisonment with hard labour for trafficking forest produce without a licence, while the three women; Talekeleni Nsomba, Esther Samalani and Alinafe Chiphiko have been ordered to pay a fine of K25 000.00 each or in default serve 3 months imprisonment with hard labour.