The Chitipa First Grade Magistrate’s Court has sentenced 35-year-old Felix Msukwa to 14 years imprisonment with hard labour for sexually abusing a14-year-old girl and impregnating her on two occasions.
The court heard that Msukwa sexually abused the girl on several occassions between 2018 and 2019.
Msukwa at one point impregnated the girl and forced her to abort the pregnancy.
Later, Msukwa impregnated the victim again and he gave the child a some drugs for another abortion.
After taking the drugs, the victim started feeling abdominal pain and was bleeding profusely which made the girl disclose the ordeal to her parents, leading to the perpetrator’s arrest.
When he appeared in court, Msukwa denied the offence and the state paraded three witnesses to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt.
In making their submissions, state prosecutor Inspector James Kanyumbu prayed for stiff sentence saying the accused caused physical and pyschological trauma to the girl.
“Msukwa took advantage of the vulnerability of the girl instead of protecting her and cases of this nature are on the increase in the district and countrywide,” Kanyumbu said.
In mitigation, Msukwa asked for leniency saying he has a family and he was responsible for school fees of his relations and was working for Chitipa District Hospital as health surveillance assistant at Kaseye.
When passing sentence, First Grade Magistrate Billy Ngosi concurred with the state saying that the court was very concerned with Msukwa’s cruel and heartless conduct.
He therefore slapped him with 14 years imprisoment with hard labour for defilement and 6 months for supplying drugs to procure abortion.
Msukwa hails from Ishalikira village in the area of Traditional Authority Mwaulambia in Chitipa district.
In a related development, the court has sentenced Never Kaira, 19, to seven years in jail term for defiling a 15 year-old girl at Kashololo village in the area of Traditional Authority Mwenewenya.
The court heard that in June,2020, Kaira sexually abused the Standard Six girl and impregnated her.
When appearing in court, Kaira pleaded guilty and asked for forgiveness saying he is an orphan.
State prosecutor Sub Inspector Hanniphey Mwanza pleaded for stiff sentence saying that the accused had the duty to protect the girl child other than exploiting her.
In his sentence, magistrate Ngosi concurred with the state and sentenced him to seven years imprisonment with hard labour saying he considered him because of his age and that he did not waste the court’s time.
Kaira hails from Temwamkondo village in the area of Traditional Authority Mwenewenya in Chitipa district.
