The First Grade Court in Phalombe on Tuesday sentenced a houseboy to 8 years in prison after he sexually abused and impregnated his boss’ 14-year-old granddaughter.

The convict has been identified as Mackford Sonkho.

State Prosecutor Muloza told the court that Sonkho was employed as a houseboy to the house of victim’s grandmother.

While there, Sonkho started sexually the 14-year-old girl until she fell pregnant. Police arrested Sonkho and charged him with defilement case.

However, appearing before the court, he pleaded not guilty to the charge of defilement.

The state paraded witnesses and Sonkho was convicted on the charge. Passing the judgment, Magistrate Damson Banda slapped the convict to 8 years in prison with hard labour.

On the same day, the court also sentenced Stephano Mukholi to 8 years in prison for sexually abusing a 14-yesr-old girl.

According to Muloza, on 14 October 2019, Mukholi went to the victim’s house and raped her twice. He then gave the girl  K1000 in order not to reveal the ordeal.

In January, the victim’s mother noticed that her daughter was pregnant. The suspect was later arrested and on Tuesday he was sentenced to eight years in prison.

Stephano Mukholi hails from Helemani village in the area of Senior Chief Kaduya, while Mackford Sonkho comes from Phutheya village in Traditional Authority Jenala, both under the Phalombe district.