High Court Sentences Henry Mussa, Munthali to Six Years Imprisonment

High Court Judge Patrick Chirwa has today sentenced former Minister of Information Henry Mussa to a maximum of 5 years imprisonment with hard labour and the former Director of Information Gideon Munthali to a maximum of 6 years imprisonment with hard labour.

Mussa was sentenced to 3 years IHL for the offence of conspiracy to commit a felony and 6 years for the offence of receiving stolen property but the sentences will run concurrently.

While Munthali has been sentenced to 3 years for the offence of conspiracy to commit a felony and 6 years for the offence of theft by public servant also to run concurrently from the day of conviction.

Mussa and Munthali, who were arrested in connection with the disappearance of 10 computers and a genset donated to the ministry by Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra), were convicted in October 2022 for conspiracy to commit a felony, theft by public servant and receiving stolen items.

In its submissions, the State argued that the offences were pre-meditated, arguing that there was proper planning and execution of the offence, as evidenced by WhatsApp messages.

But in mitigation, lawyers for the two Kalekeni Kaphale and Powell Nkhutabasa asked the court to consider giving the convicts a non-custodial sentence, considering that they served the nation as public servants; refunded the money for the gadgets; and have been in custody for the last four months.

He added that Mussa’s advanced age may not match with prison conditions.

Nkhutabasa also asked the court to be lenient with the two, saying they were first-offenders, and that Mussa was in ill health.

But the State asked the court to give the two stiff penalties to deter other public servants from engaging in similar conduct. (NPL)