Liwonde First Grade Magistrate Court sitting at Nselema on June 27, 2018, convicted and sentenced a 20 year old Yusufu Asipolo to 12 years imprisonment with hard labour for defiling a 14 year old girl contrary to section 138 of the Penal code.

Presenting the facts in court, State Prosecutor Sergeant Kesten Chimwala of Nselema Police told the court that the accused proposed love to the victim who is a standard 4 learner at Nampeya Primary School and had been defiling her from November 2017 to May 2018.

And in May 2018, the victim’s mother discovered that the victim was pregnant and the matter was reported to Chikweo Police Unit where she was referred to Chikweo Health Centre for examination and the results proved that the victim had a 16 weeks pregnant.

When taken before court, the accused denied the offence, and this made the state to call in 3 witnesses who proved the matter beyond reasonable doubt and the accused was finally convicted.

Just after the conviction, the state through Sergeant Chimwala asked the court to impose a stiffer penalty to the convict considering that such cases are rampant in the area and to deter other would-be offenders.

In mitigation, Asipolo asked for a fair punishment for he is a bread winner.

When passing sentence, his Worship First Grade Magistrate Jones Masula concurred with the state and sentenced Asipolo to 12 years imprisonment with hard.

But just after the court passed the sentence, the convict fainted in dock and was rushed to Nainunje Health Centre for treatment and was discharged 4 hours later.

Yusufu Asipolo comes from Ajasi village in the area of Traditional Authority Chikweo in the same district of Machinga.