The Dowa First Grade Magistrate’s Court has sentenced 57-year-old man, Tsilizani Mwale, to 14 years imprisonment with hard labour for raping his neighbour’s daughter aged 15.
State prosecutor, Inspector Christopher Daluni told the court that on November 29 2021, the victim was coming from the garden and met Mwale who called her to his house.
When the girl went to the house, the man started touching the victim’s breasts and later dragged her into his house and defiled her.
Prosecutor Daluni further explained that after fulfilling his desire, Mwale warned the victim not to reveal what had happened to avoid bringing enemity between the two families since they are neighbours.
But upon arrival at home, the victim revealed the matter to her grandmother, who in turn reported to police where the victim was issued with a medical referral form for examination at Dowa District Hospital.
Medical examinations conducted at the facility confirmed that the victim was indeed sexually abused and that she had also been infected with sexual transmitted infections.
Appearing before court, Mwale pleaded guilty to defilement charges and the court convicted him.
In his submission, Inspector Daluni asked the court to give a stiff punishment to the offender, saying the victim suffered physically and that she was also infected with sexually transmitted infections hence the need to deter others with similar intentions.
In mitigation, the convict asked the court for leniency, saying he is old and a breadwinner for his family.
But presiding over the case, Magistrate Robert Botha quashed the mitigations and instead, concurred with the state for a stiff sentence. Botha therefore sentenced the convict to 14 years imprisonment with hard labour as a warning to other would-be offenders.
Mwale hails from Nduwaluwa Village, Traditional Authority Chiwere in Dowa.
