The Mangochi First Grade Magistrate Court has convicted and sentenced a 21-year-old Malawian Panganani William and two foreign nationals Emmanuel Saidi, 19 (Rwandan) to 4-years while Jackson Sherma, 29 (Burundian) to 5 years imprisonment with hard labour for illegal possession of forged currency notes, illegal possession of implements for forgery and forgery of currency notes.
Mangochi Police Staion Public Relations Officer, Inspector Amina Tepani Daudi says the court heard through Mangochi Police Station Prosecutor lnspector Amos Mwase that, the first convict was arrested on February 14, 2023 following a tip from members of the community after he was spotted at Mangochi main market buying food commodities using the fake notes.
“He was found with K300,000 in K5,000 notes bearing AE3726680 and AA4725124 serial numbers in his pocket and he named the other two foreign convicts to had been the master-minders of processing the fake banknotes,” Daudi says.
According to Daudi, Prosecutor Mwase added that, the foreign convicts were later arrested on February 17, 2023 at Chiphole Trading Centre (about 139Kms from Mangochi Boma). The duo were found with K165,000 in K5,000 notes, Canon printer, plain papers, razor blades, three printing color gels, scissors and blanket.
Appearing in court, William and Saidi pleaded guilty while Sherma denied the charges prompting the state to parade three witnesses who proved the case beyond reasonable doubt.
In mitigation the trio asked for court’s leniency cited that they have family obligations.
In his submission, prosecutor Mwase reminded the court that, the offences committed are serious in nature and had serious impact on the economy of Malawi.
Passing sentence First Grade Magistrate Roy Kakutu concurred with the state.
He therefore sentenced William and Saidi each to 4-years imprisonment with hard while Sherma to 5-years imprisonment with hard labour as a deterrent to other would-be offenders.
