First Grade Magistrate Rodwell Meja Phiri has sentenced a man in mchinji to 13 years imprisonment after he was convicted of raping his 11 year old cousin.

The convict identified as Gift Clemence aged 27, committed the offense on February 20 at Nakaleti village in the area of Traditional Authority Zulu in Mchinji.

State prosecutor, Humphreys Makhalinha told the court that the rapist took advantage of the situation at his house, since his wife had gone the previous day to visit her parents.

The victim was referred to Mchinji District Hospital where doctors confirmed that she was really raped.

The convict went against section 138 of the penal code and he was slapped with 13 years in prison after he pleaded guilty in court.

Magistrate Meja opted to hand the accused stiff punishment despite pleading for leniency claiming that he`s married with four children and that he takes care of orphans.

The magistrate handed the accused stiff punishment to stop the trend and to act as a warning to other people with the same behavior as that of Clemence.

The convict hails from Nakaleta village in the area of Traditional Authority Zulu in Mchinji.