Ntchisi First Grade Magistrate Court has convicted and sentenced a 22-year-old Saukani Chisi to eight years’ Imprisonment with Hard Labour for defiling a 16-year-old girl with epilepsy.

State Prosecutor, Sub Inspector James Ngupasya Muyila, told the court the accused had been having sexual intercourse with the victim since February this year.

“In March, the girl noticed that she was pregnant and told the accused about the development.

“The latter promised to take care of her, but since then nothing happened, which prompted the girl to tell her parents who later reported the matter to police,” said Muyira.

According to Muyira, the girl was later referred to the hospital where examination confirmed she was four months pregnant.

Chisi pleaded not guilty to the charge, which prompted the state to parade two witnesses to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt.

The State then prayed for a stiffer penalty for the accused, saying despite Chisi being first offender, defilement cases were on the increase in the district with at least three cases recorded weekly.

In mitigation, Chisi pleaded for leniency, saying he had planned to marry the girl and take care of her. He also said he did not know that the girl was underage.

However, First Grade Magistrate Dorothy Kalua concurred with the state, saying defilement cases are, indeed, rampant in the district, therefore she handed the accused eight-year custodial sentence to deter other would-be offenders from committing similar offences.

Chisi hails from Thaira Village in the area of Sub Traditional Authority Masanya in Ntchisi District.

Additional reporting by Malawi News agency-Mana