Man gets 12 years for raping niece

A court in Kasungu has sentenced a 27-year-old man to 12 years imprisonment with hard labour for raping his 14 year-old niece.

Deputy spokesperson for Kasungu police Harry Namwaza identified the rapist as Elisa Chakulangila.

According to Namwaza, one October day in 2016, the convict went to the victim’s house where he found her washing plates.

He later dragged her into the house and sexually abused her.

When the girl’s mother returned, she found the child crying and was later told about the ordeal.

The woman reported the matter to police and the rapist was arrested.

In court Chakulangila, pleaded guilty to the charge of defilement and was convicted. In mitigation he asked for a lenient sentence as it was his first time to commit an offence.

But state prosecutor Griffin Luhanga objected the request saying that the convict lacked morals and could be a menace to young girls.

Kasungu First Grade Magistrate Damiano Banda then slapped Chakulangila with a 12-year jail term.

The convict hails from Mtambalala village, Traditional Authority Kaomba in Kasungu district.

In the same district, Police on Wednesday arrested 28 people during a sweeping exercise.

Namwaza said 18 of the suspects have been charged with rogue and vagabond, four will answer the charge of selling liquor without licence while six suspects were arrested for the offence touting.

“The sweeping exercise was conducted to reduce crime after noticing that some people were increasingly indulging in criminal acts even during daytime,” he said.

In a related development, an unknown man has raped and stabbed a woman in Mangochi district, police say.

Mangochi police spokesperson Rodrick Maida said the woman met the ordeal while she was in her garden in the district.

Maida disclosed that the evil rapist suddenly appeared in the garden, grabbed the woman by the neck and raped her before stabbing her on the head and private parts.

Later a girl came to the rescue of the woman after she heard screams from the victim.

The woman was then rushed to Mangochi district hospital for medical treatment.

Police have since launched investigations to identify and arrest the rapist.

The victim comes from Traditional Authority (TA) Chimwala in the district of Mangochi.

*Additional reporting by Luke Bisani.