The Kasungu First Grade Magistrate Court on Thursday sentenced Tebulo Banda 43 to 10 years Imprisonment with Hard Labour for defiling his 8 year old step daughter at Kasalika Village in the district.

Kasungu Police spokesperson Sub-Inspector Edwin Kaunda said that on the 23rd August, the convict sent his wife Mary Banda to Dowa to collect some bags of maize and he remained with the young girl at home.

“During the night, the step father went to the bedroom where the girl was sleeping and started demanding to have sex with her. The girl refused but Banda told her that she would be killed if she does not bow down to his demands. In a quest of fear of being killed, the girl accepted,” he said.

Reports show that at around 6 morning of the following day, the victim reported the issue to her aunt who reported the matter to Kasungu Police.

Police referred her to Kasungu District Hospital where defilement was confirmed.

“Banda was arrested on the 25th and on the 28th he appeared before the Kasungu First Grade Magistrate Court where he pleaded guilty to charge of defilement,” reads the police report in part.

The state prosecutor Sergeant Mariot Kamaliza asked the court to remit out a stiffer sentence since cases of this nature are becoming common in the district. Then His worship Damiano Banda slapped him with 120 months IHL.

Tebulo Banda hails from Chitenje Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Chilowamatambe in Kasungu.