A 28-year-old man who was a guard Mangacha Market in Machinga has been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour for raping a 14-year-old girl.

Machinga police spokesperson, Davie Sulumba identified the convict as Willard Chimwala who committed the offence on 25 August.

Reports say on that day, the girl was sent to buy some stuffs at Mangacha Market. Upon coming back, the convict dragged her to a Banana plantation where he raped her.

The victim explained to her mother what had happened and she later took her to police where they referred them to hospital for medical proceedings.

Medical report proved she was raped and that led to the arrest of Chimwala.

During court hearing, Chimwala pleaded innocent but she was later found guilty after the court had paraded witnesses who testified against him.

When passing the judgment, First Grade Magistrate Jones Masula of Liwonde Magistrate Court slapped him with a 10 year sentence citing that most young girls in the district are becoming victims to old men with such behaviors.