Robber breaks back into prison

2008-04-28 10:40

Blantyre - A court in Malawi handed down a 13-year jail term to a criminal who broke back into the prison where he already served time to steal guns and other equipment, police said on Monday.

Witala Soko, 37, broke into district's prison office earlier this month, days after being released from the same jail, said police spokesperson Franklin Gausi. He had been serving a six-year jail term for burglary there.

Soko stole two rifles, three pairs of handcuffs and a police communications radio, but was arrested while trying to sell the radio. He later led police to a graveyard where he had buried the guns and other items.

"The suspect pleaded for forgiveness telling the magistrate he had committed the crime because he was possessed by demons, " Gausi said.

Soko, who had five previous burglary convictions, was sentenced over the weekend by a magistrate court, police said.

- AFP