High Court in Blantyre has sentenced Wyson Big Bannet to 36 years imprisonment for murder.
Before the sentence on Monday, Bannet had been on remand for 17 years.
As such Bannet’s case recently attracted human rights lawyers’ and organisations’ attention.
He was convicted of murder in 2018. His accomplice, Myson Viera Chizizira, is already serving a life sentence at Zomba Maximum Prison.
Delivering judgment on Monday in Blantyre, Justice Dorothy Nyakaunda-Kamanga of the Supreme Court of Appeal, sitting in her capacity as a High Court Judge said Bannet’s 36 years jail sentence begins from the time of his arrest.
“We haven’t done well as a criminal justice system, we could do better,” Justice Nyakaunda-Kamanga said, referring to Bannet’s long waiting time before the conclusion of his murder case.
Justice Nyakaunda-Kamanga however observed that whilst Bannet’s trial has taken long to conclude, the case has been marred with a lot of misinformation and legal practitioners’ unethical conduct.
“Lawyers have been making several motions to have him released. There’s a procedure that has to be followed.” She said.
Speaking after the sentencing Bannet, looking relieved, said, “I feel good now because there’s hope that I will be out of prison should I still live. I feel so happy inside me.”
By Kondwani Chinele
