The Kasungu First Grade Magistrate Court has convicted and sentenced Hickson Banda, 26 to spend 3 years in jail for forcing his 3 year old step daughter to eat feaces.

The state prosecutor, Sergeant Bonex Banda told the court that, on April 22, 2020 Lekeleni Banda who is the mother of the child left the child with her step father and went to maize mill. Whilst the mother was at the maize mill, the child defaecated a thing which Hickson Banda got annoyed of. He then forced the child eat her own feaces.

Upon returning from the maize mill, the mother found her daughter with feaces on her mouth and after asking her the child revealed that it was her step father who had forced her to eat feaces.

Appearing before court, Hickson Banda pleaded guilty to the charge of unlawfully administering of poison contrary to section 240 of the penal code.

In his submission, Sergeant Bonex Banda described the convict’s behaviour as wicked and inhuman. Bonnex Banda however wondered as to how could a sane person do such a thing to a child under his care. He then prayed for a stiffer sentence on Hickson Banda for others to learn a lesson and deter them from committing the same.

Passing sentence, First Grade Magistrate Damiano Banda concurred with the state request to mate stiffer sentence on Hickson Banda. Damiano Banda described Hickson Banda’s behaviour as strange and a threat to the society. He then slapped him with three years jail term.

Banda hails from Kwengwere village, traditional authority Mwase in Kasungu District.