COURT WORRIES OVER THE RISE IN DEFILEMENT CASES

By Aamon Butao

The Senior Resident Magistrate’s Court sitting at Mkukula in Dowa district has expressed dismay with rising cases of defilement in Lumbadzi.

Senior Resident Magistrate Cecilia Onsewa raised the concern in her judgment in a case in which she slapped a 32-year-old man, Noah Chingwalu, with a 7 year sentence for defiling and impregnating a 15-year-old neighbor. 

Onsewa said such malpractice is a huge threat to the girl child's future.

The convict took advantage of the child on 5 August 2020 after her mother had gone to attend a funeral. 

The court heard that Chingwalu invited the girl into his house on the fateful day.  

However, Chingwalu said he was not guilty during plea taking but testimony from 3 witnesses was enough for the court to arrive at a guilty verdict.  

In mitigation, Chingwalu, who comes from Gogo Village, Traditional Authority Mkukula in Lilongwe begged the court for leniency on basis of being a first offender.