The Ntcheu Senior Resident Magistrate Court on December 31, 2020 sentenced a 20-year-old, Christopher Paulo, to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour for defiling his 9 year old niece on November 26, at Balaka 1 village, Traditional Authority Makwangwala in the district.
The state, through Inspector Samie Liwonde, told the court that the suspect, defiled the girl in the bush where she and her sister went to pluck some mangoes.
The accused pleaded guilty to the charge of defilement of girls under the age of 16 which contravenes section 138 of the Penal Code.
In his submission Inspector Liwonde, prayed for a stiffer punishment.
The prosecutor told the court that the offence was well planned and organised, and that the prevalence of such cases in Ntcheu as well as Malawi was alarming.
In mitigation, the accused asked the court for leniency claiming he was a first offender.
In his sentence, Senior Resident Magistrate Yohane Munthali, slapped the accused with 240 months (20 yrs) imprisonment with hard labour, a strong enough sentence to serve as a deterrent to other would be offenders.
Christopher Paulo, hails from Balaka 1 village, Traditional Authority Makwangwala, Ntcheu.
