The Lilongwe Senior Resident Magistrate’s Court has sentenced three men to 21 years imprisonment each for a series of robberies in Lilongwe.

The three men; Blessings Alfred, James Harry and Francis Chimwemwe, were arrested mid this month and convicted for robbery which is contrary to Section 301 of the Penal code.

The gang went away with K790, 000 cash, airtime scratch cards worth K280, 000, six cellphones and a DVD player.

State Prosecutor Chancy Chikhola told the court that the convicts, while armed with panga knives, attacked businessman Kenneth Thayo in his house at Kaphiri on the night of August 15.

The court further learnt that police initially arrested the prime suspect, Alfred, and recovered an Itel phone, leading to the arrest of the two others.

During the Court hearing, Prosecutor Chikhola prayed to the court to mete out harsh sentences since robbery cases are on the rise in the capital city particularly in Njewa and Kaphiri locations.

In their mitigations, the accused asked for leniency saying it is not safe to spend time in prison amid Covid-19 pandemic.

Delivering her ruling, Senior Resident Magistrate Shyreen Chirwa observed that robbery cases are on the rise in the City and that the three convicts be given such a lengthy sentence to deter others doing the same.

Alfred, 32, comes from Phetembe Village, Traditional Authority Kumtumanje in Zomba. Harry, 23, hails from Mbala Nguzi Village, Traditional Authority Changata in Thyolo while Chimwemwe, 45, is from Mbawera in Thyolo.

Additional reporting by Deputy Public Relations Officer for Lilongwe Police Station Sergeant Foster Benjamin.