By: Lloyd M’bwana
The Malawi court in the southern district of Mwanza has on Friday, March 18 slapped a 40 year-old man with 10 years to jail for defiling a 15 year old girl.
Mwanza Police Station Public Relations Officer Edwin Kaunda confirmed to the Maravi Post on Saturday, March 19, the sentencing of Felson Kanthunkako for being found guilty of the offense at Chabweza village, Traditional Authority (T.A) Kanduku in August 2015.
According Mwanza Police Publicist Kaunda, the court Kanthunkako was in a love affair with the mother of the victim and had one child with her but middle last year-2015 the convict proposed to the daughter of his lover (the victim) and they started engaged in sexual affairs which ended up the girl having pregnancy.
“In the month of August 2015 the mother of victim was surprised with appearance of her daughter. The woman asked her daughter on what was wrong with her but the girl openly told her mother that she was also in love with Felson and that she has been having sex with him.
“The woman took her to Mwanza Police Station where they referred her to Mwanza District Hospital and medical examination revealed that the girl was three months pregnant. The convict was on the run when he heard that the issue has been reported to police. After investigations Felson was arrested on January 26 this year-2016 within district.
“The convict appeared before Mwanza First Grade Magistrate Court on February 1, where he pleaded guilty to the charge of defilement which is contrary to section 138 of the Penal code. But His worship RanwellMangazi failed to give the sentence on this day because during mitigation Felson said that the girl was not 15 but 18 then the court ordered victim’s mother to bring the girl’s health passport so that the court should certify the age”, explains Kaunda.
The Publicist Kaunda further said the victim’s mother on March 18, brought the health passport book before the court which revealed and certified that the girl was born in 2001and that she was a minor under the laws of the land.
“Consequently, His Worship Mangazi sentenced Kanthunkako to ten years in jail with hard labor in a bid to deter those might want to commit the same offense which is rampant in many communities across the nation”, says Kaunda.
Felson Kanthunkako hails from Chabweza village, Traditional Authority (T.A) Kanduku in the southern district of Mwanza.
The country’s media is daily a washed with rape, defilement and other injustices stories including killing of albinos which is attributed to rituals said to be a way get worth where stiff punishment needs to take its course to deter the malpractice.
