The Karonga First Grade Magistrate’s court has convicted and sentenced a 43-year-old Chakufwa Nyirenda to 14 years imprisonment with hard labour for defiling a 7 year-old girl.
The court heard through state prosecutor, Sub-Inspector Harrison Mtambalika that on April 4, 2021 at Phapa fishing area in Karonga District, Nyirenda had unlawful carnal knowledge of a girl under the age of 16 years.
Mtambalika submitted to the court that, although the accused person is a first offender, the offence he committed is serious that attracts a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Mtambalika further told the court that, as an elder person the accused person has a responsibility of protecting such young girls from any form of abuse and not abusing them sexually as he did to the victim.
Mtambalika added that, children are entitled to be protected from the economic exploitation or any treatment, work or punishment that is likely to be hazardous, harmful to their health, physical, mental, spiritual or social development.
He also lamented that, cases of defilement are on the increase in Karonga District as well as across the country. The state then prayed for a stiff sentence to be imposed on the accused person in order to deter would-be offenders.
In mitigation, Nyirenda asked for court’s leniency when passing a sentence to him because he has a big family responsibility.
Passing sentence, First Grade Magistrate Julius Kalambo concurred with the state about the seriousness of the offence.
Kalambo quashed the mitigating factor of family responsibility given by Nyirenda. He said the accused person would have refrained from committing the offence.
He therefore, sentenced Nyirenda to 14 years imprisonment with hard labour.
Nyirenda hails from Kandoda Village, Traditional Authority Mtwalo in Mzimba District.
