The Principle Resident Magistrate court In mzuzu has convicted and sentenced a 28 year old Misheck Phiri to 21 years imprisonment with hard labour after being found guilty of having s3xual intercourse with a 14 year old girl.

The court heard through state prosecutor, Sgt Esnart Moyo that the incident happened in the month of December, 2023 when the victim’s parents left her with her grandmother and left for farming.

The court further heard that the victim has a disability that she does not walk and does not speak

Coming from the farm the victim’s parents did not find the girl home, after confronting her granny she was skeptical of her whereabouts, then the parent started searching for her.

Afterwards the girl was found in a nearby bush, 100m away from home while naked, and beside her was Phiri who naked as well and fast asleep. The parents shouted for help and brought Phiri to police

Appearing before court, the convict pleaded guilty to the charge of having sexual intercourse with a child.

In mitigation, the convict pleaded for the court’s leniency when passing its sentence stating that he is the first offender and that he did that under influence of alcohol

However, the state prosecutor Esnat Moyo prayed for a stiffer punishment stating that the offence attracts maximum sentence of life imprisonment and that the convict was fully in his senses as he managed to carry the disabled girl on a 100m distance.

Passing the sentence, the Principle Resident Magistrate Clemence Chamwenda concurred with the state’s prosecutor thereby convicted and sentenced him to 21 years imprisonment with hard labour.

Misheck Phiri hails from Dolora village in the area of Traditional Authority Mtwalo in Mzimba district.