Mangochi First Grade Magistrate’s court on Friday sentenced 26-year-old Dickson Monjeza to 10 years in jail for raping and impregnating a 15-year-old girl.
Presenting facts in court, Chimwala Police Unit Prosecution ln-charge, Sub Inspector Valens Reid Banda, told the court that in the month of January 2021, the victim’s mother noticed some changes on her child’s appearance and decided to find out more.
Banda added that after being confronted, the victim admitted to be pregnant and mentioned Monjeza to be responsible for it.
“She also revealed that Monjeza has been defiling her since 2020,” Banda told the court.
He added that the matter was later reported at Chimwala Police Unit where medical form was issued. Medical results from Ukalanga Heath Centre revealed that the young girl was three months pregnant.
Appearing in court, Monjeza pleaded not guilty and this prompted the state to parade three witnesses who testified against him.
The court later found Monjeza guilty of defilement.
In mitigation, he asked for court’s leniency saying he is a breadwinner but the state quashed his appeal, saying such cases are on the increase despite government and stakeholders relentlessly working towards uplifting rights of the girl child.
Passing judgement, Magistrate Roy Kakutu concurred with the state about the seriousness of the offence, hence the sentence to serve as a lesson to him and other would-be offenders.
Monjeza hails from Manjomo village in the area of Traditional Authority Kadewere in Chiradzulu district.
