By Jones Gadama
The Chief Resident Magistrate Court in Mzuzu has sentenced six men to seven years imprisonment with hard labour each for kidnapping and assaulting a nurse over a failed business loan.
The court heard that the convicts abducted Kondwani Jere, 35, a nurse at St Johns Hospital in Mzuzu, on January 9, 2026, and held him captive in an unfinished house at Chiputula Township after he failed to repay money he had received for business.
According to State Prosecutor Superintendent Bettie Msowoya, the trouble started in December 2025 when Jere received K11,800,000 from Dumisani Kaunda, 29, who was working with FDH Bank in Chitipa.
The money was meant for business, with an agreement that it would be paid back.
When the payment was not made, Kaunda traveled from Chitipa to Mzuzu and mobilized five other men to help recover the debt.
The group allegedly picked up Jere from Mzuzu City Centre around 10:00 hours and drove him to Chiputula.
The court was told that after finding that Jere did not have the money, the men detained him and assaulted him.
Prosecutors further told the court that the victim was doused with an unidentified substance mixed with water, which caused his skin to peel.
Police later rescued Jere and rushed him to Mzuzu Central Hospital for treatment.
The six men — Kaunda, Esau Kumwenda, 34, Atupele Khoma, 34, Lumbani Mbewe, 26, Jack Tambala, 37, and Charles Chamdothi, 23 — were charged with conspiracy to commit a felony and kidnapping. They pleaded not guilty.
The state presented seven witnesses during the trial. In mitigation, the convicts asked for leniency saying they were first offenders.
But Msowoya urged the court to hand down a tough sentence, arguing that the crime was planned and caused serious harm to the victim.
In his ruling, Chief Resident Magistrate Godfrey Balaka said the offences were grave and premeditated.
He sentenced the six to five years IHL for kidnapping and two years IHL for conspiracy to commit a felony. The sentences will run consecutively, totaling seven years each.
Northern Region Police Public Relations Officer Inspector Cecilia Mfune identified the convicts as Kaunda, Khoma and Mbewe from T/A Mthwalo and M’mbelwa in Mzimba, Kumwenda from T/A Chikulamayembe in Rumphi, Tambala from T/A Tambala in Kasungu, and Chamdothi from T/A Mavwere in Mchinji.
Police have since warned the public against taking the law into their own hands in debt recovery matters, saying such acts are criminal and attract severe punishment.
