The Zomba Chief Resident Magistrate’s Court has sentenced former Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) commissioner Linda Kunje to 18 months imprisonment for criminal negligence after her vehicle blocked President Lazarus Chakwera’s motorcade in Zomba.

Her former driver, Jones Tewesa, has been given 15 months custodial sentence.

Kunje boards a police van after the sentencing on Wednesday

But defence lawyer Christopher Masanje said they will appeal against the sentences.

Kunje and Tewesa were found guilty of the offence of criminal negligence against Section 246 of the Penal Code when they blocked the President’s convoy in Zomba on December 10 2020.

In sentencing, chief resident magistrate Austin Banda said despite the fact that defence lawyers Timothy Chirwa and Christopher Masanje stated in their submissions that Kunje and Tewesa’s conduct had no motive to cause harm to the presidential convoy, he convicted the duo because they deliberately resolved to disregard road traffic regulations.

He said: “Being a competent driver, Tewesa, after being stopped by the traffic police officers, could have stopped the vehicle in obedience to the law rather than fearing his boss whereas Kunje being the in-charge of the vehicle, abused her powers to force the driver to drive on; hence, the sentences.”

State prosecutor Levison Mangani exp r e s sed satisfaction with the ruling, saying they agreed with the custodial sentence.

Kunje will serve her custodial sentence at Mikuyu Prison while Tewesa at Zomba Central Prison. The sentences are to run from August 19 2022 when the two were convicted.

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