Mangochi Senior Resident Magistrate Court in Mangochi on Monday denied bail to Prophet Samson Manyozo who was arrested for allegedly defiling a standard 6 girl.

The Court heard that the Prophet, who is based at Mtalimanja area in the district, had been defiling a 14-year-old girl who is a learner at one of the primary schools at the Boma.

According to State Prosecutor Assistant Superintendent, Efford Kamphonje said the prophet started committing the offence from the time the minor’s mother took her to the prophet’s church for special prayer.

“The accused later demanded that the mother should stop escorting the minor to the church and when the mother accepted this, the accused took advantage of the situation and started defiling the minor,” he explained.

Kamphonje added that the mother later noticed that her daughter had been defiled and she reported the matter to Mangochi Police who arrested the accused on Monday upon medical examination.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges and requested for a bail which the state prayed with the court not to grant saying doing so may jeopardize the evidence when he is out of cell.

Mangochi Senior Resident Magistrate, Joshua Nkhono concurred with the state that the case is serious in nature and that releasing the suspect can tamper with the evidence.

He advised the Police that they should gather all the evidence when coming to court for the next hearing, Friday June 27, 2019.

Manyozo 42, comes from Phulusa village, Traditional Authority (TA) Mwambo in Zomba district and he is currently being kept at Mangochi Police cell.