Mzimba second Grade Magistrate’s court s on August 23, 2023, has convicted and sentenced a 60-year-old Man to 6 years imprisonment with hard labour for attempting to poison the stepson at Champhira in the district.

Public Relations Officer for  Jenda Police Station Sub/Insp Macfarlen Mseteka, has identified the convict as Wallasi Phiri.

The Court heard trhough the state Prosecutor Inspector Jane Chawinga that the convict administered Tomato pesticides on August 17, 2023 into the food the child was supposed to take with the intention of killing the stepson.

Chawinga told the court that Phiri and the wife got married some time back but got separated as Phiri left her, the wife married another man who died and her kids convinced her to return to the first husband, even though Phiri accepted but never liked the kids from the other man.

On that fateful day Phiri and the son left home and on return thus when he administered the pesticides into the food but the son didn’t take the food as it was smelling bad and reported to the mother, whom searched his husband’s jacket and a bottle of the pesticides resembling the smell of the food was found. She later reported matter to police.

Appearing before court, Phiri the stepfather, pleaded guilty to the offence saying he indeed administered the poison to the food intentionally,  Surprisingly, he never asked anything from the court.

Chawinga, however, asked for a stiffer punishment bearing in mind that the offence is of serious in nature as it carries a maximum sentence of 14 years imprisonment, also what the father did shows that he is irresponsible parent who needs to be taken away from the society for change. The child is also too young at the age of 12.

In passing the sentence, the second-grade magistrate Harison Sitiki concurred with the state and slapped Phiri with a 6-year imprisonment with hard labour for Maliciously administering poison with intent to harm contrary to section 240 of the penal code.

Wallasi Phiri hails from Kapindula village, Traditional Authority Mabulabo in Mzimba District.

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