KASUNGU-(MaraviPost)-Kasungu First Grade Magistrate Court on Wednesday convicted and sentenced a 60-year old man to 10 years imprisonment with hard labor for defiling a four-year old girl.

Kasungu Police Station deputy spokesperson Harry Namwaza identified the convict as Pitolosi Jalijali Banda, who committed the crime on October 10, 2017 at the victim’s mother’s house.

According to Namwaza, the court heard that after the assailant discovered the girl was alone as her mother had gone to a nearby village to participate in a wedding preparation activity, Jalijali then grabbed the victim and took her into the shed where started defiling her.

The police publicist said as the convict was caught in the criminal act by another man who suspected something fishy was happening in the shed.

The matter was later reported to the victim’s parents who alerted the Kasungu Police Station leading to the convict’s arrest.

“Although Jalijali pleaded not guilty to the charge of defilement, four witness which the state presented, proved the beyond reasonable doubt; this led to Jalijali’s conviction.

Jalijali pleaded for a lenient sentence as he was the first offender and requesting the court to consider his old age as another mitigating factor when passing sentence.

“However, His Worship Damiano Banda noted with concern that such cases are on the increase in the district, arguing that Jalijali’s act was not acceptable in the society therefore with stiffer punishment, it could curb the vice. Consequently the Magistrate delivered a 10-year sentence in jail with hard labor,” Namwaza said.