Senior Resident Magistrate Court in Zomba has sentenced a 22-year-old Amos Mtipa to 18 months imprisonment with hard labour for abducting a 7-year-old boy.

According to Deputy Public Relations Officer for Zomba Police Station, Sergeant Patrick Maseko, the court heard from Inspector Rodney Botomani, a Prosecutor at Zomba Police Station, that on May 29, 2020 the convict met the victim at 6 Miles bus depot and offered him a ride as they were going the same direction and then took him to unknown destination.

Sergeant Maseseko said: “Upon seeing that her son was not coming back home, the mother of the victim reported the matter to Zomba Police Station who launched investigations.”

He further said on May 31, the victim’s mother received a message that her son was found at Nselema in Machinga district together with the convict who by then was in the hands of the police at Nselema.

The convict was later referred to Zomba Police where he was charged with the offence of abduction contrary to section 135 of the Penal code.

Appearing in court, he pleaded guilty to the charge levelled against him.

In submission, the State told the court that, the offence which the convict committed is serious in nature and its maximum sentence is 7 years imprisonment.

When passing the judgement, Senior Resident Magistrate Rodrick Michongwe, concurred with the state that the victim deserves a stiffer punishment and therefore sentenced him to 18 months imprisonment with hard labour.

Amos Mtipa comes from M’bwana village, Traditional Authority Chikowi in Zomba district.