Senior Resident Magistrate Court in Lilongwe sentenced Mathews Chikumba, 27, to eight years imprisonment with hard labour for defiling a 7 year old girl.

Chikumba who hails from Mgalima Village, Traditional Authority (TA) Zulu in Mchinji, who was a primary school teacher, is reported to have defiled one his students.

However the court gave Chikumba eight years instead of a maximum sentence of 14 arguing that the convict was a first offender and that he has already lost his job as punishment for the offence.

Child Prosecutor Fanny Chimbay said; the other teachers will get a lesson out of this. He [Chikumba] has received the punishment he deserves. Other teachers should learn and act responsibly,” Chimbaya said.

Chikumba is said to have contravened section 138 (1) of the Penal Code.