Phalombe, November 1: Phalombe Third Grade Magistrate Court on Friday, convicted and ordered three men to pay a fine of K50,000 each for stealing Malawi national flags that were mounted along the road a day before President Dr Lazarus Chakwera visited the district to officially open Phalombe district hospital.
State prosecutor William Pahuwa told the court that, the trio, Habakuku James 21, Francis Mafana 32 and Charles Nikucha 22 removed the national flags that were mounted along the road to Migowi where the State President was expected to officially open the district hospital on October 12.
He further told the court that, the convict removed eight flags and one flag was not recovered
During the plea, the three pleaded guilty to the charge which contravenes section 278 of the Penal Code hence being convicted immediately.
In his ruling, Third-Grade Magistrate Topxy Mpinga ordered them to pay a fine of K50, 000 each to replace the lost flag.
The convicts come from Mumbuwa village in the area of Traditional Authority Jenala in the district.
