By Our reporter
Machinga Third Grade Magistrate Court on Friday convicted and ordered Joseph Cassim, 31, to pay a fine of K90 000 and in default serve 12 months imprisonment for stabbing a workmate in the arm after picking a quarrel.
Police Prosecutor Charles Mwachima Nkhoma told the court that on October 26, 2017, Cassim and co – workers, including the victim, were coming from work around 6 o’clock in the evening.
The State witness said a squabble ensued over issues to do with their work at Victory Construction Company which is rehabilitating a road in the area.
“The workers started quarrelling and the victim, Mwamadi Yusuf, was making noise such that Cassim was trying to control the noisy situation,” the prosecutor told the court.
Nkhoma added that Cassim stabbed Yusuf on the right hand where the knife pierced through from one side to another.
The court further heard that the accused was apprehended and taken to Machinga Police Station where he was charged with unlawful wounding, contrary to Section 241 of the Penal Code.
Cassim pleaded guilty and admitted to the charge.
However, he asked the court to exercise leniency when passing sentence, claiming that he had acted in the manner due to anger.
On his part, Prosecutor Nkhoma pleaded with the court to convict and imprison the accused, saying he behaved barbarically and that the disagreement that rose between the two was supposed to be settled amicably without any violence.
Passing judgment, Third Grade Magistrate Austin Kamanga concurred with the state and as such, ordered the accused to pay a fine of K90 000 where K40 000 is for compensation to the victim while K50 000 for fine.
The Magistrate further said failure to pay the money meant serving a jail term of 12 months with hard labour for Cassim. This would serve both as a lesson to the convict and a deterrent to would–be offenders.
Cassim hails from Forty Village in the area of Traditional Authority Thekerani in Thyolo.