ZOMBA-(MaraviPost)-The High Court in Zomba has sentenced Misozi Chanthunya to life imprisonment for the murder of his 25 year old Zimbabwean girlfriend, Linda Gasa.
The high court Judge Ruth Chinangwa passed the verdict on Friday September 4th.
The victim who was a student at the Malawi College of Accountancy, Blantyre campus was killed in 2010 and her remains were exhumed at in a bathroom at Mwala Lodge owned by Chanthunya.
Reports indicated that prior to her death, Gasa was pregnant for Chanthunya and that he wanted her to terminate the pregnancy as disclosed by one of her close friends Jessie Kachale, in her testimony when she appeared before court as a state witness.
In a twist of events, another state witness, Pathologist Charles Dzamalala told the court in his testimony that after a thorough examination of the late Gasa’s body, he was of the view that she was not pregnant at the time of her death.
Chanthunya reportedly left the country then, and was apprehended by South African Police on January 24, 2012 before he was handed over to Malawi after a protracted extradition battle on March 1, 2018.
He was later released on bail after a series of court battle presided by Supreme Court of Malawi Justice of Appeal Dustain Mwaungulu in January 2019.
In her ruling on friday, Judge Ruth Chinangwa said the accused had multiple cases to answer; on charges of murder, perjury and hindering the burial of a dead body.
She said on the second count of hindering burial of a dead body, court had sentenced the defendant to two years custodial sentence and two years imprisonment on the charge of perjury and the sentences will run concurrently.