A 21-year-old man identified as James Boni is in police custody in Lilongwe for defiling a 3-year-old child, police have confirmed.

According to Kanengo Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), Salome Zgambo Chibwana the incident happened on Thursday at M’gona and was reported by Charity Jalasi, the mother to the child, who said she was busy cooking when she was informed by a friend that her daughter was found at the graveyard and was with the Village Headman.

“The mother rushed to the Village Headman to find out what happened and took her child home. After questioning her daughter, the child disclosed that she is feeling pain in her private parts and when the mother checked her, she saw blood on the child’s private parts,” said Chibwana

Chibwana said that the mother went back to the Village Headman to report the issue where the chief advised her to report the matter to the police.

The mother together with the child were referred to the hospital where it was confirmed that the child was defiled.

The child was able to identify the suspect since she knows him by name and she said that the suspect took her to the graveyard where he defiled her.

Members of the general community apprehended the suspect and brought him to the police the same day.

The suspect hails from Thekerani in Thyolo and will soon appear before court to answer charges of defilement.