The 35-year-old Frank Tobias hails from Matutu Village, Traditional Authority M'duwa in the district.
According to State Prosecutor Sub Inspector Gerald Ngoma, Frank Tobias was arrested on January 24, 2023 when the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials were monitoring Affordable Input Programme (AIP) fertilizer selling points in Mchinji.
On this day, Elemensia Zitaye reported to the ACB officers that she was unable to redeem her fertilizer because her ID had been stolen.
Kamwendo Police Post followed up the matter and the suspect was arrested and dragged to court to answer a charge of stealing the NRB identity card.
The Mchinji Third Grade Magistrate Samuel Chakudza convicted and sentenced the accused, on his own plea of guilty, to 18 months in prison with hard labor.
Meanwhile, the Malawi Police Service is warning all vendors that are using other people’s identity cards to access AIP fertilizer that once traced they will face the law.