The Kasungu First Grade Magistrate Court has sentenced a 35-year-old man to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour for raping his 16 year-old cousin.
The man has been identified as Siyeni Mwale.
Speaking to Malawi24, Kasungu police Station spokesperson Inspector Harry Namwaza said on August 23, 2019 the parents of the victim left home and went to a funeral.
“During the night around 21:00 hours, Mwale took advantage of the absence of the victim’s parents to commit the offence,” said Namwaza.
In court, Mwale pleaded not guilty to the charge of rape which prompted the state to parade five witnesses to prove the case against Mwale beyond any reasonable doubt.
After he was convicted, Mwale asked for lenient punishment but Sub Inspector Chisomo Beni who was prosecuting the case objected to convict’s request saying that Mwale was answering a serious offence that couldn’t be treated with leniency if such immoral and criminal behaviours are to be deterred.
Beni further told the court that rapist ought to have behaved responsibly towards the victim not heinously as he did.
First Grade Magistrate Damiano Banda supported the state’s call for a stiff sentence to be meted on Mwale saying that such behavior is a menace to the society and couldn’t be treated with kid groves.
Banda then slapped Mwale with a 10 year jail term.
Siyeni Mwale comes from Chikuni village in the area of traditional authority Chakhaza in Dowa district.
