Phalombe First Grade Magistrate court has sentenced a 45 year old man, David Dangwe, to six years imprisonment with hard labour (IHL) for defiling a 12-year-old girl.
According to Phalombe Police spokesperson, Innocent Moses, the court heard through the State Prosecutor Philemon Banda that on several occasions, the victim used to go to the house of village headman Muhowa to assist him in fetching water.
Dangwe invited the girl to his house when she was coming from the house of the chief and he defiled her.
Dangwe was later arrested and charged with an offence of defilement which is contrary to section 138 of the penal code.
Appearing before First Grade Magistrate Damson Banda on Tuesday, the suspect pleaded guilty to the charge leveled against him which led to the State to plead for a stiffer punishment so as to deter other would be offenders.
In mitigation, Dangwe asked the court to give him a lenient sentence claiming that he stays alone at his house hence having nobody to look after him.
However, the magistrate quashed the mitigation describing it as baseless.
Dangwe hails from Misesa village in the area of traditional Kapeni in Blantyre district.
