SUMBAWANGA: Man jailed 30 years for stealing 2.9m/-

Written by PETI SIYAME in Sumbawanga

SUMBAWANGA Resident Magistrate’s Court  has  sentenced  Sabas Savery  alias Ntinda  (30),  to  30 years imprisonment after being  found guilty of assaulting and stealing  more  than 2.9m/-, property of one Regina Vutakamba.

The court also had ordered the convict to receive 12 strokes of the cane.Resident Magistrate, Mr Adamu Mwanjokolo told the court  that  the  prosecution side  substantiated its case beyond reasonable doubt  that  the convict  had  truly  committed  the offence.

The prosecution  side  summoned  four  witnesses  to  prove its case while  the  defence  called  only  two witnesses.“ The accused  was responsible  for  the crime. In other words, the accused  is found guilty of the offence  charged.

“The  convict  shall be  sentenced  to a 30-year-term imprisonment  with  corporal  punishment  of  twelve  strokes of the  cane" ruled  the magistrate.Prosecution charged before the court that  although  the convict had no any  previous  criminal records, yet the court must  punish  him severely  so  that  the  sentence  would  serve  as a lesson  to other  people   who are  likely to commit such crimes.

The  convict however maintained  that  he  was  not guilty  and   prayed   for a lenient  sentence  because  he is an epileptic  and has a big  family that depends  entirely on him.The court was earlier told that the convict committed the offence on May 29, this year at Kazila village in Sumbawanga District at around 03:00 hours.

It was alleged that the convict armed with stick and razor blade broke the door of the house of the complainant and demanded her to surrender all the cash she had.It was further claimed that the convict turned violent and severely beat her after the complainant defied his order.

The convict was alleged to have searched for the money and finally  found  it hidden under  the mattress. He thereafter grabbed  the  complainant  and place  a piece of  cloth  around her eyes and  slashed her with razor blade.

The  convict  then   hauled her and threw  her  out of  her  house  until early  morning   when  passers – by  found her helpless.

Source: Daily News (30/10/2012): http://dailynews.co.tz/index.php/local-news/11011-man-jailed-30-years-for-stealing-2-9m