Balaka woman escapes jail for holding a gun

The Balaka First Grade Magistrate’s Court has found Rhoda Amos, a 55-year-old woman, guilty and sentenced her for possessing a firearm without the necessary permit or license.

The court imposed a fine of K750,000 on Amos, or alternatively, a 15-month prison term with hard labor.

State prosecutor Superintendent Bodwin Msukwa informed the court that Amos was discovered with the firearm on January 1, 2026, at Lupanga Village within the Traditional Authority Nsamala in Balaka District.

Msukwa stated that the police acted on a tip-off from concerned citizens and located Amos with a pistol and seven rounds of ammunition, which were concealed in a sack and wrapped in plastic.

During the police questioning, Amos disclosed that her son, Amos Poison, aged 35 and currently residing in Johannesburg, South Africa, had sent her the firearm.

She indicated that the weapon was smuggled into Malawi hidden inside a subwoofer.

When she appeared in court yesterday, Amos admitted her guilt regarding the charge of possessing a firearm without a permit or license.

In delivering the sentence, first grade magistrate Augustine Mizaya concurred with the State’s recommendation for a severe penalty, emphasizing that illegal firearms represent a significant danger to community safety.

He remarked that the sentence should act as a deterrent to others who might contemplate similar illegal activities.

Amos, a resident of Lupanga Village in Traditional Authority Nsamala, has since settled the fine to evade a custodial sentence.