The Mulanje Senior Resident Magistrate’s Court on Monday has convicted and sentenced a 19-year- old man to 8 years imprisonment with hard labour for having sexual intercourse with a girl child.

The court  heard through state prosecutor Sub inspector Gladstone Kanyezi  who identified the convict as Patrick Pachache that he had sexual intercourse with a 14- year- old girl child in his house when he took the victim as his wife without the knowledge of her parents.

It was also learnt in court that in April 2023, Pachache took the girl to his house in order to marry her and it’s when he started sleeping with the girl and later urged the girl to go to her parents to collect her belongings to mark the beginning of their marriage.

But he was reported to Namphungo Police unit where the victim was referred to one stop center at Mulanje District Hospital for medical examination. The results from the hospital revealed that indeed the girl had been sexually assaulted.

Police launched a manhunt leading to the arrest of the accused person.

Appearing before court, he pleaded not guilty to the charge leveled again him forcing the state to parade 3 witnesses who later proved the case beyond reasonable doubts.

In mitigation, the convict asked for court’s leniency, saying he is a breadwinner to his family.

However, state prosecutor Kanyezi prayed for a stiffer sentence, stating that the offense committed is serious in nature.

Passing sentence, Senior Resident Magistrate Shaheeda Hanif Bakili concurred with the state’s submission hence slapped him with 8 years imprisonment with hard labour to deter other would-be offenders.

Patrick Pachache hails from Tambala Village in the area of Traditional Authority Juma in Mulanje District.