Cattle rustler sentenced to four years in prison with hard labour

Malawi: Cattle rustler Frackshon Mathewe, 34, of Kantefa Village, Traditional Authority Katunga in Chikwawa district, has been sentenced to four years in prison with hard labour.

The court heard from state prosecutor sub inspector Danford Otala of the Chikwawa Police station that Mathewe was discovered with three slaughtered cattle in the early hours of July 30 after well-wishers tipped off the police.

According to Chikwawa Police Station Public Relations Officer, Sergeant Dickson Matemba, the police rushed to the location where the slaughtered cattle were discovered, and Mathewe was arrested. After being questioned, he admitted to stealing the animals.

When he appeared in court, he pleaded guilty to the crime of cattle theft.

However, the state requested a harsh custodial sentence because livestock theft in Chikwawa is on the rise.

"In his mitigation, the accused asked the Court to be lenient in delivering its sentence, and he prayed for a non-custodial sentence, adding that he looks after his family," Matemba added.

First-grade magistrate Gladstone Chilundu agreed with the state and dismissed the accused's mitigation factors, ordering him to serve four years in prison with hard labour to deter future criminals.