The Mchinji First Grade Magistrate’s Court has sentenced James Mwale, a 65-year-old security guard from Kadiwa Village in Dowa District, to 12 years imprisonment with hard labor for defiling a 10-year-old girl.
The court heard that Mwale, also known as “Gamba,” committed the heinous act three times between March and June 2025.
The girl’s mother reported the case to the police after noticing her daughter’s difficulty walking, prompting the child to reveal the abuse she had suffered.
Mwale was arrested earlier this month and pleaded guilty to the charges, although he begged the court to consider his advanced age.
State prosecutor Linda Kamwinda presented the case against Mwale, who was found guilty of defilement, a crime that has reached alarming rates in Mchinji District.
Magistrate Rodwell Meja Phiri has previously expressed concern over the high number of defilement cases in the district, emphasizing that the court will not hesitate to impose stiff penalties on perpetrators to protect young girls.
This sentence serves as a deterrent to would-be offenders and underscores the judiciary’s commitment to combating gender-based violence in Malawi.