The Mzuzu Senior Resident Magistrate Court on Monday sentenced 32-year-old Gift Sakala to 16 years imprisonment with hard labour for raping a 12-year-old girl.
The court heard that the girl was raped on November, 5 last year.
On the day of the rape, the victim left home and went to the market without the knowledge of her mother.
The rapist took advantage of the girl’s condition and raped her at a nearby bush.
When the girl’s mother noticed that the child was not home, she went to search for her and was told that the girl was last seen with Sakala.
That is when she caught the rapist forcing himself on the child.
When Sakala appeared before court, he denied the charge but the court found him guilty after five witnesses were paraded.
State Prosecutor Sergeant Felix Senzani further told the court to slap Sakala with a stiff punishment for violating the right of a girl child.
In his judgment, Senior Resident Magistrate Austin Banda sentenced Sakala to 16 years imprisonment as a lesson to others with inhuman behaviour.
Gift Sakala hails from Changunyuka Village in the area of Traditional Authority Mtwalo in Mzimba District.
