Mchinji First Grade Magistrate Court has sentenced Kenneth Chirwa to 14 years imprisonment with hard labour for defiling a 13 year old girl at Katugwa trading centre, Traditional Authority Mkanda in Mchinji district.

The court heard that on 1st April 2016, Chirwa, 40, asked the girl (a standard 4 pupil) to cook for him at his house. Chirwa is then reported to have grabbed the girl and forcibly had sex with her.

Police Prosecutor Beatrice Kankhuni said the convict told the girl not to tell anyone because he would buy her shoes and soap. The girl however, told her parents leading to Chirwa’s arrest.

In mitigation before his sentence, Chirwa told the court that he was once diagnosed with a mental illness and has a sick wife.

Passing the sentence, First Grade Magistrate Rodwell Mejja Phiri said although he pleaded guilty to the charge, the fact that Chirwa is HIV positive aggravated the offence as the girl could be infected by the virus.

“The young girl is likely to suffer long time effects if she is infected, as such, you deserve a stiff punishment,” he said.

Chirwa hails from Thondoni Village in T/A Mkanda in Mchinji. mana