DOWA-(MaraviPost) – The Dowa first grade magistrate court on Monday, convicted and sentenced a 52-year old Wilson Banda to eight years imprisonment with hard labor, for defiling and impregnating his 15-year old granddaughter.
According to Dowa Police Station spokesperson Richard Kaponda, the court heard that the suspect committed the crime between the months of December 2016 and January 2017, when his wife was at her home village as she was expectant.
Kaponda said the suspect took advantage of his wife’s absence when he started sexually assaulting the girl who was doing all the house chores.
The police publicist added that some elderly women from the village, noticed the girl’s body changes, following which they quizzed the girl to reveal who was responsible for the pregnancy. The girl said it is the grandfather, Wilson Banda.
The matter was reported to the police, who eventually, arrested the grandfather. He was charged with the offence of Defilement Contrary to section 131 of the Penal Code.
In his mitigation, the convict asked the court for leniency, saying he agreed with the victim that he will marry her. He also added that no one will take care of his maize garden and his children.
“But state prosecutor Agnes Mphinga, asked the court for no mercy saying the convict, being the grandfarther, was supposed to protect the girl, not impregnate her.
“First grade magistrate Amulani Phiri, agreed with the state, saying it is questionable for someone to marry his own granddaughter, that the victim will not live a happy life, because the experience went through.
Consequently, Magistrate Phiri sentenced Banda to 8 years imprisonment with hard labor. This is to deter other would-be offenders, police said.
The convict Banda hails from Mtukwa village, Traditional Authority (T.A) Msakambewa in Dowa district