The Chief Resident Magistrate Court in Mzuzu has sentenced Aaron Nyirenda, 81, to 12 years imprisonment with hard labour for raping a 12-year-old girl.
The court heard from state prosecutor Sgt Esnart Moyo that the convict was married to mother of the victim.
On April 6, 2023, brother to the victim was not home and Nyirenda told the mother to go and search for him and after some time the Nyirenda also asked the grandmother of the victim to follow the mother. That’s when he had time to sexually abuse the girl who was sleeping in the house of her grandmother.
When the grandmother left, something made her to go back home and she found that the door of her house was open only to find the convict in his underwear.
Moyo further told the court that the mother of the girl learnt about the incident and reported the matter to Police leading to the arrest of the suspect.
Nyirenda pleaded not guilty of having sexual intercourse with a minor prompting the state prosecutor to parade five witnesses who testified against him.
In her submission, the state prosecutor prayed for a stiff sentence saying right of the victim was infringed and the convict had the responsibility to protect the girl child.
In mitigation, Nyirenda asked the court for leniency stating that he is old and also on ARV’s treatment.
Passing sentence Chief Resident Magistrate Paul Chiotcha concurred with the state hence slapped him to 12 years imprisonment with hard labour to deter would be offenders.
Nyirenda hails from Chipofya Village in the area of Traditional Authority Katumbi in Rumphi district.
