A 73-year-old man identified as Patrick Bannet has been jailed for 12 years with hard labor by the Mangochi Senior Resident Magistrate Court for defiling a 13-year-old girl.

The Court heard through the state Prosecutor Maston Chitsonga that, both the victim and accused stay in the same compound.

On the night of April 17, this year, the victim went out to ease herself before retiring to bed.

In the process, the accused emerged from his house and found her under masawu tree passing urine before he forcefully grabbed and defiled her.

Later, the accused threatened to ‘deal’ with her if she would reveal the incident.

The court heard that the victim’s brother, who is her guardian too, was suspicious since the girl took longer than expected.

He then discovered violent marks on the victim’s neck and pieces of grass on the back of her head.

After quizzing her, the victim revealed the ordeal to him and he later reported the matter at Mangochi Police Station where a medical report form was issued and the results from Mangochi District Hospital confirmed that penetration took place.

Appearing in court, the accused person pleaded guilty to the charge.

In mitigation, the man who is in his elderly age asked for the court’s leniency, saying that he is too old to go to prison, but the state declined his plea, arguing such cases are on the increase despite government and stakeholders relentlessly working towards uplifting rights of the girl child.

Passing his ruling, Senior Resident Magistrate Joshua Nkhono concurred with the state and sentenced him to 12-years imprisonment with hard labor to serve as a lesson to him and other would-be offenders.