Family wants justice for daughter’s rape
The family of a six-year-old girl (name with held) who was defiled by a 19-year-old boy recently in Nkhata Bay, has cried foul over the judgement passed in court on May 25 2016.
In an interview on Saturday, the victim’s mother (name withheld) said the family was not happy with the court ruling which she felt was an infringement of her daughter’s right to justice.
The culprit, Lameck Banda, pleaded guilty to defilement charges levelled against him, but said he is aged 17. However, his school registration indicates his age as 19.
In his ruling, Nkhata Bay first grade magistrate Billy Ngosi ordered Banda to apologise to the victims family with K300 000, which the victim’s family accepted reluctantly.
“We did not want the money. We were forced to collect K47 000 as part payment of the amount and we have not used even one tambala. To us, it is an insult. We want justice to prevail,” said the mother in tears.
She has since asked human rights activists to intervene in her daughter’s case. The mother said her daughter is not only young but also disabled following an illness she suffered as a toddler which left part of her body paralysed.
The victim is still recovering from the defilement, which was confirmed at Chintheche Rural Hospital.
The family has since said it will appeal the case.
