Police in Dedza are keeping in custody a 36 year old man, who is a bicycle mechanic, for defiling a 13 year old girl.

According to Dedza Police Public Relations Officer, Sub Inspector Edward Kabango, the incident happened when the victim accompanied by her friend went to service her bicycle at the suspect’s place on 14 July, 2020.

“After servicing the bicycle, the girls started off but the suspect identified as Francis Kachingwe followed them and convinced the victim to have sex with him at a reward of K500 to which the victim agreed and he slept with her at the nearby bush, ” Kabango said.

“The following day, the two also had sex and the victim was given another K500. A week later, the mother to the victim noted that her daughter was not physically fit and the victim lied that she was suffering from Malaria,” he added.

Kabango further said that the victim was taken to Baptist Hospital at Ngodzi where she was diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection and she revealed that she slept with the suspect.

The matter was reported at Mtakataka Police Post and the suspect was arrested and charged with defilement. He is currently on remand at Dedza Prison.

Kachingwe hails from Kakhome Village in the area of Traditional Authority (T/A) Kachindamoto in Dedza.