A 31-year-old woman in Dowa has been sentenced to 4 years in prison for raping a child aged 14.
The woman raped the boy on several occasions from January 2020 to February 2021
Dowa Police Public Relations Officer Sub Inspector Gladson M’bumpha has identified the woman as Mawu Kambidzi from Chiponda village in the area of Traditional Authority Chiwere in Dowa District.
The Dowa First Grade Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, February 24 2021 through state prosecutor Sub Inspector Agnes Mphinga heard that on the night of February 12 this year the child’s father woke up around 22:00 hours to check his son (victim) in his boy’s quarters where he sleeps alone and did not find him.
It was revealed in court that what prompted the father were the foot-steps which he had been hearing for many times and upon checking it was found that the boy was not in the boy’s quarters.
Later, the boy’s father told his wife who started calling the boy’s name and he appeared. Upon questioning him, he revealed the sexual abuse and further revealed that the abuse started in January 2020.
Appearing before court, the woman pleaded guilty to a charge of indulging in sexual activity with a child contrary to Section 160 of the Penal Code.
In mitigation, the woman asked the court for lenient sentence, saying she is physically challenged, pregnant and also has a child.
In her submission, state prosecutor Sub Inspector Agnes Mphinga asked the court to pass a stiff punishment to the offender, saying the offence committed is serious in nature.
First Grade Magistrate Amran Phiri then sentenced the woman to 4 years imprisonment with hard labour, saying the sentence would deter other offenders.
