Mazabuka High and Subordinate Court in Zambia has convicted and sentenced a 24-year-old fisherman of Shimungalu Fishing Camp to 35 years imprisonment for allegedly defiling a 3-year-old girl.
The convict has been identified as Emmanuel Mwansa who is committed the offence on 11th March 2022.
Mwansa had unlawful carnal knowledge of a girl below the age of 16 in the same area.
And in mitigation, the defendant’s Lawyer, Chisenga Bwalya, sitting together with Senior Counsel, Martin Makinka from Legal Aid Board, indicated that their client was a youthful first offender who could be of good use in society and was also remorseful.
In passing the sentence Livingstone High Court Judge sitting in Mazabuka, Catherine Lombe Phiri, acknowledged the mitigation, however stating that there were some aggregating circumstances in the case as the child was only 3 years old.
Phiri also noted with concern that females are no longer safe in society, hence the need to give a deterring sentence to send a message to would-be offenders, hence the 35 sentence with hard labour.
Mwansa has been charged with defilement contrary to Section 138 of the Penal Code, Chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia as per amendment Act Number 2 of 2011.
