The Monkey-Bay First Grade Magistrate’s Court on Thursday sentenced Dafuleni Chiluwe, 23, to 14 years imprisonment with hard labour for raping a 14-year-old girl.
The court heard through prosecutor Sub inspector John Pwitika that the suspect is a married man with four children.
Between the month of November and December 2021, the suspect proposed love affair to the victim promising that he wil leave his wife and children to marry the victim.
Since that time, the suspect has been having sexually abusing the victim.
On the morning of March 23, 2022, the victim was sent by her mother to the market to sell beans but never returned. At around 19:00hrs, the mother searched for her but to no avail.
Prosecutor Pwitika added that, later on, the mother asked the victim’s close friend the whereabout of her daughter who revealed the ordeal. The victim’s friend also told her that her daughter was taken by the convict and were planning to get married.
This did not please the mother who reported the issue to Yoneco office where she was referred to Malembo Police Unit who arrested the suspect with the help of members of community police forum.
Appearing in court, Chiluwe pleaded not guilty and this prompted the state to parade five witnesses who proved the case beyond reasonable doubt.
In mitigation, the convict pleaded for leniency saying that he is a breadwinner of his family.
In submission, prosecutor Pwitika pleaded for stiffer punishment citing that cases of defilement are rampant in the area and are serious in nature.
Passing sentence FGM Mtunduwatha Mpasu concurred with the state and slapped him with 14 years imprisonment with hard labour to deter other would be offenders.
Dafuleni hails from Chantulo Village, Traditional Authority Nankumba in Mangochi.
