Balaka First Grade Magistrate court in eastern Malawi has sentenced Frank Stephano Dimba, 32, to 7 year’s imprisonment with hard labour for defiling a 10 year old girl.

Dimba who is married and has 3 children hails from Funsani village, in the area of Senior Chief Nsamala in Balaka district.

However state Prosecutor Constable Aida Mzama asked the court to consider giving the suspect a stiffer sentence considering the seriousness of the offence.

“Cases of defilement are becoming rampant in the district hence the need to give offenders a stiffer sentence so that we can protect the girl child and that it should be a lesson to him and would be offenders” said Mzama.

Dimba pleaded guilty and asked for leniency saying that he is a bread winner for his family.

First Grade Magistrate Damson Banda, passing judgement said that cases of defilement are becoming rampant in the district a development which is putting the life of a girl child at risk.

“In order for this to stop, the suspect needs to be given a stiffer sentence so that it should be a lesson to him and would be offenders. He therefore sentenced him to 7 years imprisonment with hard labour,” said Banda.