Malawian Gets 17Yrs For Robbery

The Chipata High Court has sentenced a 25-year-old man from Malawi to 17 years imprisonment with hard labour for robbery.
Before Judge Gertrude Chawatama was William Kamwatendo, 25, who was charged with one count of aggravated robbery contrary to the Laws of Zambia.
Particulars of the offence are that on July 11, last year, Kamwatendo, whilst acting together with unknown persons, allegedly forcibly broke into a house of an India national of Asian origin and stole K6,000 cash and a mobile phone worth over K1,000.
The court on Tuesday heard that the accused forced his way into the house and gained entry to the bedroom of the complainant and hit her after she resisted giving him money.
The convict hit the victim with an axe blade and fled with the money and the mobile phone. He was apprehended a week later.
During trial, the accused told the court that he was Malawian and visited Zambia for the first time in July, last year.
He told the court that he came to Zambia to buy tyres and that on the material day, his colleagues took him to a house which he thought was a lodge. He stood outside the house near the gate and waited for 30 minutes for his colleagues who were inside the yard.
The convict narrated that to his surprise, about 20 people approached him and accused him of being a thief and was dragged to police where he was accused of stealing a phone and cash.
In delivering judgement, Judge Chawatama said she was satisfied that the phone which was recovered by police belonged to the complainant and there was sufficient evidence that the accused hit the victim as evidenced by a medical report.
“I find the evidence overwhelming and I found the accused guilty as charged and convict you accordingly. I therefore, sentence you to 17 years imprisonment with hard labour, effect from the day you were arrested,” she said.