Man gets 21 years for defilement

Lilongwe Magistrate’s Court has sentenced a 42-year-old man (name concealed to protect the identity of the victim) to 21 years imprisonment for defiling his stepdaughter aged nine.

State prosecutors Cecilia Zangazanga told the court that the convict married the victim’s mother and took the responsibility as a father to the victim.

However in 2021, the father started inviting the victim to his bedroom whenever the mother was out for work. He watched pornographic video clips with the child and instructed her to practise with him what they watched.

He instructed the girl not to tell her mother about what they were doing, but the victim got tired and alerted the mother.

The mother reported the matter to Kawale Police Station where officers issued the victim a referral letter to hospital for medical examination where results indicated penetration happened.

In court, the convict pleaded not guilty, but the State paraded five witnesses to prove its case.

In mitigation, the man prayed for leniency, saying he was a breadwinner.

But the State asked for  stiffer punishment, saying that being a father, it was his responsibility to take care of the victim.

In his ruling, senior resident magistrate Patrick Chirwa dismissed the plea and handed him a custodial sentence.