The First Grade Magistrate Court in Kasungu has sentenced a man identified as Langton Banda to 12 years imprisonment with hard labor for defiling a 6 year-old child.

State prosecutor Sub Inspector Mariot Kamaliza told the court that on July 10, 2018 Banda, called the victim who at that particular time was playing with her fellow children and coaxed her to go with him to nearby forest where he wanted to collect firewood.

“Being a trusted person to the victim, the child followed him but just as they had entered into the nearby bush Banda grabbed the victim and forcefully defiled her,” Kamaliza explained.

He added: “After doing his heinous act on the helpless victim, Banda strongly threatened her that he would handsomely deal with her if she could dare tell anyone.”

“It took the victim’s mother after noticing that her daughter was crying and having difficulty in walking had to confront her it is then that she revealed the matter.”

In, court, Banda pleaded guilty to the charge of defilement and when asked to defend himself, the convict pleaded with the court for a lean sentence saying he was a first time offender and has a family to take care of.

However, Kamaliza told the court that young female children like the victim need to be protected from irresponsible and inconsiderately immoral people like Langton Banda hence objecting his request for leniency.

Passing his sentence, First Grade Magistrate, Damiano Banda said people like Banda need to be punished with stiff sentences until such behaviors are stopped and then sentenced him to 12 years in Jail.

Banda comes from Kanjala village, Traditional Authority Lukwa in Kasungu district.