Nkhata Bay Magistrate Court has today sentenced Michael Kasambala, 34, for being found guilty of conveying by water in unsafe vessel contrary to section 251 of penal code.

According to the court reading on Tuesday, Kasambala was on 4 October, 2021 sailing his boat from Usisya to Nkhata Bay boma with four Anglican Priests and other passengers on board but along the way he kept on carrying passengers and luggage.

Nkhata Bay Police Spokesperson, Sergeant Kondwani James the boat known as Nzelu za Amayi was specifically meant for cargo weighing 2.5 tonnes but on departure it carried few goods and four passengers but along the way he Kasambala kept on carrying people and goods out of which he ferried over 40 bags of usipa and about 20 passengers.

Due to overweight the boat capsized and in the process, one priest, Reverend Kennedy Chilowa of Chilambwe Anglican Church drowned.

In his ruling, First Grade Magistrate Ezekiel Kantikana slapped the convict with a fine of K700,000 or in default serve a jail term for 12 month from the day of arrest. He has since paid the fine.

Kasambala hails from Mulenda Village in the area of T/A M’bwana in Nkhata Bay.