Group Village Headman (GVH) Mtsiriza has been sentenced to 8 years imprisonment with hard labour by the First the Grade Magistrate Court in Dowa  for raping 21-year-old woman.

Police Prosecutor Christopher Daluni told the court  that the VGH committed the crime on the night of December 25, 2020, when the woman’s husband went to attend a Christmas party within the village, leaving the wife alone.

While the woman was fast asleep, she felt someone having sexual intercourse with her and when she stirred up,  she discover ed that VGH, whose real name is Damiano Chimkango, was on her and she  screamed for help but  the convict managed to flee the scene.

Appearing before court, he pleaded not guilty to a charge of rape, prompting the State to parade four witnesses and medical results at Chankhungu Health Centre showed that the woman had indeed been raped.

First Grade Magistrate Amran Phiri sentenced the GVH to 8 years imprisonment IHL to send a strong warning to  would-be offenders.

Chimkango hails from Traditional Authority Mkukula in the district.