On 7th May, 1999, the appellant was convicted by the High Court sitting at Zomba of
murder, contrary to section 209 of the Penal Code and was sentenced to death. He appeals against the conviction on the ground that the verdict was unsafe and could not be
supported, having regard to the evidence.
The deceased was a married woman. She was working as a Librarian at Chancellor
College in Zomba and resided at Kalimbuka, in the same Municipality of Zomba. There
was no dispute that the deceased was attacked in her house by some intruders during the
early hours of 22nd December, 1994. The intruders gained access into the house by
breaking a window. She received eleven stab wounds in the attack from which she died
on 27th December, five days later.