The Mangochi Senior Resident Magistrates Court on February 2, 2022, convicted and sentenced Harrison Kachingwe, 36, and Alfred Kondwani Palikena, 26, each to 15 years imprisonment with hard labour for housebreaking which contravenes sections 309 (a) and 278 of the Penal Code respectively.

According to Mangochi Police Public Relations Officer, Amina Tepani Daudi, During court proceedings, Prosecutor Sub lnspector Ted Namaona told the court that, the convicts came to Mangochi on the night of January 27, 2022, using an unregistered red Toyota Passo and lodged at a certain resthouse within the town.

The following afternoon the convicts and their accomplice who is still at large broke into 2 houses at Mgundaphiri Village when the owners were not around.

Prosecutor Namaona added that the convicts went away with K50,000 cash, LG and Samsung plasma TVs and assorted groceries.

The matter was reported to Mangochi Police Station who swiftly responded to the alert and successfully arrested the two suspects at different locations the same afternoon with the help of members of the public and also recovered the stolen TVs which were already sold at Makawa Trading Centre.

Passing judgement, Senior Resident Magistrate Rodrick Michongwe slapped each of them with 15 years of housebreaking and 3 years imprisonment with hard labour for the count of theft. The Sentences are to run concurrently.

The convicts are also wanted by Lingadzi, Liwonde and Zomba Police formations suspected to have committed similar offences in those areas.

Kachingwe hails from Sanulani Village Traditional Authority Njolomole in Ntcheu while Palikena comes from Kamenya Village Traditional Authority Kachere in Dedza.