It is reported that ,Pastor Charlie, proposed and promised to marry the girl in May last year when the victim used to frequently go to the church’s borehole to draw water.

Sub Inspector Damiano Nyasulu of Lilongwe Police prosecutions told the court that it was in December, when grandmother to the girl realized that she [victim] was 21 weeks pregnant.

Appearing in court, Charlie pleaded not guilty to having sexual intercourse with a child, a development that prompted the state to parade four witnesses to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt.

Following Charlie’s conviction by the court, State Prosecutor Nyasulu, asked the court for a meaningful sentence saying the convict traumatized the girl by subjecting her to a condition that does not suit a girl of the victim’s age.

In mitigation, the convict prayed for leniency to the court saying he has children and sisters who depend on his financial and material support.

He also mitigated that he was expected to fly abroad to further his education in Master in Divinity studies.

Passing his sentence, Senior Resident Magistrate Bracious Kondowe, said that the offence is a felony which attracts life imprisonment as maximum penalty.

Kondowe further said that the convict could have done better by not acting the way he did, but rather encouraging the girl to focus on her education, being an educated pastor himself who was pursuing a Master’s Degree.

Magistrate Kondowe then went on to sentence Charlie to 21 years imprisonment with hard to serve as a deterrent to other would be offenders.

Mccrystal Charlie hails from Chilembwe Village, Traditional Authority Tengani in Nsanje District.