Senior Resident Magistrates Court in Balaka has convicted and sentenced a 43-year-old man, Jonas Buleya to 18 years imprisonment with hard labour (IHL) for defiling a 14-year-old girl.

Balaka Police Station Public Relations Officer, Gladson M’bumpha said the state prosecutor Superintendent, Baldwin Msukwa told the court that the convict committed the offence on May 14, 2024 at Nkaluluka village in the district.

He said: “The court heard that the convict committed the offence when the girl’s mother was out for other errands and took advantage of the situation and went into the girl’s house where he had unlawful sexual intercourse with her.

“Later, the convict threatened to kill the victim if she revealed the incident to anyone but the girl reported the matter to her sister as well as to her mother on the following day,” added M’bumpha.

Appearing before court, the convict pleaded not guilty and denied the charge which prompted the state to parade five witnesses who proved the case beyond reasonable doubt.

In mitigation, the convict asked the court for leniency, saying he was a bread-winner for the family and that he also takes care of orphans.

However, in his submission, Msukwa pleaded with the court for a stiff punishment, noting that that the offence committed was serious in nature as it is contrary to Section 138 of the Penal Code.

Passing the judgement, Senior Resident Magistrate, Joshua Nkhono dismissed the mitigation factors and sentenced the convict to 18 years IHL as a deterrent to other would-be offenders.

Buleya hails from Nkaluluka Village in the area of Traditional Authority Nsamala in Balaka District.