The Senior Resident Magistrate Court sitting at Enukweni in Mzuzu City has sentenced a 50-year-old teacher, Petros Mwamondwe, to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour after he was found guilty of raping a 14-year-old standard four learner.
The court heard, through Inspector Kelvin Kamanga, that the teacher committed the offence between the Month of April and June 2019, at Kanyawazi area within Enukweni in Mzuzu where he was a primary school teacher.
Kamanga further narrated that the child was in the same class where Mwamondwe was teaching. The teacher gave the child some things and he later raped her.
The child reported the incident to his father who immediately reported to Enukweni Police Unit where the victim was issued with medical referral. At the hospital, it was confirmed that the child had been sexually abused.
Mwamondwe was then arrested and charged with the offence of defilement.
Appearing before the Court, he pleaded not guilty to the charge levelled against him, prompting the state to parade four witnesses after which he was found guilty as charged. In mitigation, Mwamondwe prayed for leniency, saying he is a first offender and the one who takes care of his family.
In submission, the prosecutor asked the court to give the teacher a stiff punishment to deter would be offenders.
Passing judgement, Senior Resident Magistrate Godfrey Nyirenda concurred with the state’s submission and slapped the convict with a 20-year jail term.
