The Senior Resident Magistrate’s court in Blantyre yesterday sentenced 27-year-old Pilirani Isaac Mbaisa to 14 years imprisonment for raping a 15-year-old child.
Blantyre Police Station Public Relations Officer Sub Inspector Peter Mchiza said the court heard through State prosecutor, Sergeant Mark Kavalo that Pilirani Mbaisa raped the child between the months of July and October, 2020.
The victim spilled the beans when time to open a new school term had come and having realized that she was pregnant.
Her grandmother, whom she was staying with, upon receipt of the troubling news decided to seek for police assistance.
The law enforcers responded by referring the child to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital for medical examination. The results indicated that the girl was indeed pregnant.
This prompted Ndirande police detectives to launch a manhunt which led to the arrest of the suspect. He was charged with Defilement which contravenes section 138 (1) of the penal code.
When the suspect appeared in court, he denied the charge prompting the state to parade 4 witnesses.
In submission, the State Prosecutor pleaded with the court to consider giving the convict a stiffer penalty to deter would be offenders since such cases are rampant.
Sergeant Mark Kavalo further told the court that the victim’s trauma led to her miscarriage and that currently she has dropped out of school.
In mitigation, the convict asked the court for leniency saying he is a breadwinner and also that he is a first offender.
Passing judgment, Senior Resident Magistrate Akya Mwanyongo concurred with the state in that such cases are on the rise.
Therefore, Mwanyongo sentenced the convict to 14 years imprisonment with hard labour.
Pilirani Isaac Mbaisa hails from Zangala 3 village in the area of Traditional Authority Mlumbe in Zomba district.
