The First Grade Magistrate’s Court sitting at Dwangwa in Nkhotakota District on Friday, April 22, 2022 sentenced Yesaya Quoto, 24, to 12 years imprisonment with hard labour after he was found guilty of possessing K575,000 counterfeit currency of K5,000 notes at Dwangwa trading centre.

The court heard through police state prosecutor, Sub Inspector Thoko Juziwel that Quoto was found with the said counterfeit currency on March 28, 2022 when he was making mobile money transaction through TNM Mpamba to a certain female mobile money agent at the trading centre.

The agent got suspicious with the K5,000 bank notes amounting to K60,000 given to her for the transaction. She informed her friends who took the matter to Nkhunga Police Station along with the suspect.

Detectives effected an arrest after they found him with additional K115,000 notes bearing one serial number AA7915614.

Further police inquiries led to seizure of gadgets which were suspected to have been used for the money manufacturing syndicate. The items were found in his shop located at Kande trading centre in Nkhata Bay District.

Later, Quoto was charged with three counts of illegal possession of counterfeit currency notes contravening section 366, unlawful possession of implements for forgery contravening section 374(b) and forgery of currency notes contravening section 357 of the Penal Code.

In court, he was convicted following his own plea of guilty to all three counts levelled against him.

In submission, prosecutor Juziwel prayed with court to give meaningful sentence to the offender, saying the convict committed a serious offence which attracts custodial sentence.

Passing verdict, First Grade Magistrate Kingsley Buleya concurred with the state’s submissions and slapped the convict with 4 years for the first and second counts and 12 years for the third count. The sentences will run concurrently.

Yesaya Quoto hails from Mwerekete Village, Traditional Authority Mthwalo in Mzimba District.