A 42-year-old man in neighboring Zambia has been committed to the High Court for sentencing after he pleaded guilty to indecent assault for touching an 11-year-old’s breasts.
MrDavid Chanda was committed to the High Court by Lusaka magistrate Alice Walusiku following his own admission that he touched the victim’s breasts and gave her some money.
Mr Chanda was charged with two counts of indecent assault on two girls aged 11 and 10 in capital, Lusaka this year.
The offence of indecent assault attracts a minimum sentence of 15 years which is beyond magistrate Walusiku’s jurisdiction in sentencing.
Chanda admitted charges in both counts but explained that he only touched the breasts for the 11-year-old.
As regards the 10-year-old, Chanda said he touched her on the shoulder.
Magistrate Walusiku recorded a plea of guilty for count one and not guilty in count two after Chanda’s explanation.
The court said trial in count two will commence on December 23.
According to facts presented in court, the 11-year-old girl went to Chanda’s place to ask for fire but instead of giving her the fire, he pulled her in his house and started touching her breasts, after which he gave her a K2 and warned her that he would do something to her if she disclosed anything to anyone about what he had done to her.
After sometime, Chanda was interviewed by the chairperson in the area about having impregnated a child and was also asked whether he had touched another girl’s breasts and he agreed.
Chanda was then charged with the subject offences which he admitted.
A medical report obtained, however, indicated that the girl was not sexually abused and Chanda himself said he had no intentions of sexually abusing her but just touched her breasts.
