First Grade Magistrate Court in Mzimba on 14th July sentenced Joseph Banda aged 21 and Emmanuel Theu aged 26, to eight years imprisonment for raping a 19-year-old girl.
A circuit court sitting at Champhira heard through the state prosecutor Nelson Mang’anda that the victim lives with her uncle but she was sleeping in a separate apartment.
On 9th June 2021 at around 8PM, the victim left her uncle’s bar for home. After sometime she heard a knock.
When she opened the door, the two forced themselves in and raped her in turns.
The incident was reported at Champhira Police Post and the victim was referred to Jenda Health Centre where it was confirmed that she was indeed raped.
Appearing in court, the two men pleaded not guilty to the charge levelled against them forcing the state to parade three witnesses who proved beyond reasonable doubts.
The convicts were found with a case to answer and convicted under section 132 of the penal code.
In mitigation, the convicts pleaded for mercy saying they are both young.
Mang’anda prayed for deterrent sentence saying these cases are very common in the district and in this case, the offense was planned.
The First-Grade magistrate, her worship Loveness Gumbo concurred with the state and slapped the convicts with right (8) years imprisonment with hard labour.
Banda hails from Chadula Nhlane Village while Theu hails from Ganavula Village, both in the area of Traditional Authority Mzikubola in Mzimba district.
