A court in Mulanje district has sentenced a 27 year old man to 28 years behind bars for raping two girls.
The convict has been identified as Madalitso Namacha who hails from Ozamba village in the area of Traditional Authority Mthiramanja in the district.
The court heard that on 25th October 2017, the convict raped two minors aged between 8 and 9 years and this happened as the two were coming from school within the village.
On their way home, the two stopped at a tap which is far from the road but closer to a bush to drink water.
Suddenly, the rapist ambushed and grabbed the two girls pulling them to the nearby bush where he raped them one after another.
After two days, their parents knew about the ordeal having observed that the two girls had difficulties in walking.
Upon questioning them, the two girls revealed that it was Namacha who raped them. The two girls further told their parents that the convict had threatened them not to reveal saying if they did they would die instantly.
The matter was then reported to Mulanje Police Station and the two victims were referred to Mulanje District Hospital where medical examinations confirmed that indeed the girls were sexually molested.
Namacha was then arrested and charged with two counts of defilement contrary to section 138 of the penal code.
He pleaded not guilty to the two counts when he appeared at Mulanje first grade magistrate court.
The state through its Prosecutor, Davie Banda, paraded six witnesses who testified against the convict and on Tuesday First Grade Magistrate Smart Maruwasa found the accused guilty of the two counts.
Then the State asked the court to impose a stiff punishment to Namacha so as to deter would be offenders and teach a lesson to the lesson.
In his sentence, Maruwasa agreed with the state saying defilement cases pose a big threat to girls in terms of their education and lives hence the need for tough sentences.
Maruwasa therefore sentenced the rapist to 14 years Imprisonment with Hard Labour (IHL) for each count and said lthe sentences will run concurrentlly.
