The First Grade Magistrate’s Court sitting at Mponela in Dowa has sentenced 20-year-old Innocent Phiri to 14 years imprisonment with hard labour for raping a girl.
The court through the state prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent Gladys Jentala, heard that on November 24, 2020 at about 08:00 hours, the victim went to Kasangadzi River to draw water.
A certain man who has a tobacco nursery near Kasangadzi River also wanted to draw water for his nurseries and it is when he found Phiri raping the victim.
The rapist immediately bolted from the place, leaving the victim alone at the place and the well-wisher escorted the victim to her mother where he narrated that he found Innocent Phiri raping the girl.
Appearing before court, Phiri pleaded guilty to the charge of defilement of an imbecile which contravenes Section 139 of the Penal Code.
Passing judgement, First Grade Magistrate Anthony Banda described the offence as serious in nature and he added that cases of defilement are becoming rampant in the area.
He therefore jailed Innocent Phiri to 14 years’ imprisonment with hard labour to deter other would-be offenders.
Innocent Phiri hails from Chulu 1 Village in the area of Traditional Authority Mponela in Dowa district.
