Nkhotakota, March 16: Nkhunga First Grade Magistrate Kingsley Buleya on Friday sentenced 26 year old Lenon Kapusa to nine years imprisonment with hard labour for defiling and impregnating his 14-year-old pupil.
Prosecutor Samuel Chimkombero told the court that the incident took place when the girl (name withheld) was in standard 7 at Central Primary School situated in Dwangwa Illovo Estate in Nkhotakota and the convict was teaching at the same school.
“In February 2014, the convict proposed to the pupil who with childish knowledge accepted to his proposal. Soon he started having sex with her numerous times until the following month when the parents got wind of the news about their daughter’s affair with the teacher. They went to his house and confronted him, but he denied having knowledge of the matter,” Chimkombero told the jam packed court.
Chimkombero indicated that the parents were not convinced by Kapusa’s response and kept monitoring their child who also became pregnant.
“When they asked her to identify the man behind her pregnancy, she mentioned the same teacher. With much anger, the parents just took the child to the teacher’s house where he accepted responsibility and took her as his wife. This development did not go well with other concerned citizens who tipped the police which resulted into his arrest,” explained the prosecutor.
He told the court that the girl was referred to the hospital for medical examination where it was confirmed that she had been defiled and was pregnant.
Whilst taking plea, the man shocked a jam packed court after he told FGM Kingsley Buleya that he had agreed with the teenager as they were in a form of love affair. But the court found him guilty and the magistrate said cases of that nature consent was immaterial.
Upon being convicted, the man pleaded with the court to give him a lenient penalty saying he was a bread winner for his relatives.
When passing the sentence Magistrate Buleya said the courts in the country are overwhelmed with the number of young girls who are being defiled on daily basis.
“It is sad to note that some of the perpetrators are even teachers who were supposed to protect the girls from such forms of abuse.
“The defilement offence is very serious as it attracts a maximum penalty of life imprisonment or death. I therefore sentence you to 108 months IHL with hope that the sentence will act as a lesson to all would be offenders,” concluded the magistrate.
Kapusa hails from Nkholokombwa Village, Traditional Authority Kachindamoto in Dedza district.
