Balaka Magistrate Court has sentenced a 70-year-old man to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour after finding him guilty of raping his 14-year-old granddaughter.
The convict has been identified as Phillipo Ngozo.
The court heard that the victim has been living with her grandparents since she was 10-years-old. In May this year, the grandmother went to her home village leaving the girl in custody of her grandfather.
On the same night she left, Ngozo sneaked into the girl’s bedroom and raped her.
Later in August, the ordeal came to light when the victim was noticed to be pregnant and upon asking her she revealed that her grandfather is responsible for the pregnancy.
In mitigation, Ngozo pleaded with the court to take into account the role he plays as a breadwinner and sentence him with leniency.
He further asked the court not to give him a custodial sentence so that he may have a chance to take care of the unborn baby and the mother.
But state prosecutor Christopher Nyirongo asked the court for a stiffer punishment regarding the fact that it has become a common trend for old men to sexually abuse young girls and also considering the age and condition of the victim.
When passing judgement, First Grade Magistrate Felix Mandala noted that the pregnancy aggravates the crime acknowledging risks the teenager’s health will be exposed to during delivery hence the stiff sentence as a lesson to him.
Phillipo Ngozo hails from Mpezeni village, Traditional Authority Nsamala in Balaka District.
