The Karonga First Grade Magistrate’s court has sentenced 43-year-old Chakufwa Nyirenda to 14 years imprisonment with hard labour for raping a 7-year-old girl.
The court heard through state prosecutor, Sub-Inspector Harrison Mtambalika that Nyirenda raped the child on April 4, 2021 at Phapa fishing area in Karonga District, Nyirenda.
Mtambalika submitted to the court that, although Nyirenda is a first offender, the offence he committed is serious that attracts a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Mtambalika further told the court that, as an elderly person, Nyirenda has a responsibility of protecting such young girls from any form of abuse and not abusing them sexually as he did to the victim.
Mtambalika added that, children are entitled to be protected from the economic exploitation or any treatment, work or punishment that is likely to be hazardous, harmful to their health, physical, mental, spiritual or social development.
He also noted that cases of child sexual abuse are on the increase in Karonga District as well as across the country.
In mitigation, Nyirenda asked for court’s leniency when passing a sentence to him because he has a big family responsibility.
Passing sentence, First Grade Magistrate Julius Kalambo concurred with the state about the seriousness of the offence.
Kalambo quashed the mitigating factor of family responsibility given by Nyirenda. He said the accused person would have refrained from committing the offence.
He therefore, sentenced Nyirenda to 14 years imprisonment with hard labour.
Nyirenda hails from Kandoda Village, Traditional Authority Mtwalo in Mzimba District.
