Senior Resident Magistrate Court in Zomba has sentenced 22-year-old Ronnex Bandawe to 4 years in prison with hard labour for burning his niece’s hand after claiming that the little girl stole his green maize.
Bandawe committed the offence on March 6 at Nkanda Village, Senior Traditional Authority Chikowi in Zomba where he burned the hands of his six-year-old niece.
With funding from UNICEF, the Development Communications Trust (DCT) became an interested party in the case and facilitated a mobile court that saw the Zomba Senior Resident Magistrate Court seating at Senior Chief Chikowi’s area.
Passing the sentence, Senior Resident Magistrate, Christopher Makumba said what Bandawe did was contrary to Section 235 of the penal code, adding that Bandawe deserved a four-year custodial sentence for committing a serious crime.
DCT Programmes Manager, Bettie Chumbu said she was satisfied with the sentence, adding that the custodial sentence has provided a lesson to would be offenders to deter them from committing similar offences.
Chumbu acknowledged the police, District Social Welfare Office and a youth network from Senior Chief Chikowi for their collaboration on ensuring justice on Ronnex Bandawe’s case.
Chikowi youth network secretary, Ben Pearson, expressed hope that crime against children will be reduced following the 4-year imprisonment of Ronnex Bandawe.
He appealed to government to allocate enough financial resources to judiciary for mobile courts.
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