MACHINGA-(MaraviPost)– A burglary, and stealing of school bag and goat in the eastern district of Machinga, has landed a 30-year old Mozambican national six years in jail after being found guilty in the district court by Second  Grade Magistrate Maxwell Boazi. The theft is contrary to sections 309 and 278 of Penal Code respectively.

The convict identified as Assam Ishmael committed the crime last week when he was caught selling a goat which was believed to have been stolen from one of the houses at Chaphuka village, Traditional Authority (T.A) Bwananyambi in the district.

“Consequently, Second Grade Magistrate Maxwell Boazi sentenced Assam to 72 months (six years), six months and 15 months for burglary, breaking into the house and theft of goat respectively, which will run concurrently”, said the Police Unit’s Prosecutor Kasten Chimwala.

According to Chimwala, the court heard that the convict broke into the house of Wema Mkuya and stole a school bag and the goat value at MK30, 000.

Chimwala said Ishmael was in the following morning seen selling the goat to butcher men at a giveaway price, raising suspicion that the goat might have been stolen.

Eventually, some community members took the convict to police to verify ownership of the goat, while at the police unit, they coincidentally met with the owner of the goat who was also reporting the incident to the police, and managed to identify the goat.

 

“This led to Ismael’s arrest, who pleaded guilty to the offense when he appeared in court. During court proceedings, the state prosecutor asked the court to give a stiff punishment to deter would-be offenders from foreign countries, who are said to be terrorizing the area. The magistrate handed Ismael the 72 months’ jail term.

The convict Ishmael hails from Chanika Village, T.A Mateleshi, Mandimba district in Mozambique.