Chikwawa First Grade Magistrate Court has convicted and sentenced a man to 13 years imprisonment with hard labour for defiling a minor.

The court through state prosecutor Superintendent Ian Ntaba identified the convict as Yohane Charles.

Ntaba told the court Charles on the night of December 25, 2022 saw the victim with her friends coming from a Christmas celebrations and he started chasing them and managed to catch the victim and drugged her into the bush where he defiled her.

He went on and tell the court that the matter was reported to Makhuwira Police Unit where the victim was referred to Livunzu Health Centre where they confirmed the defilement.

Charles pleaded not guilty to the charge levelled against him and this made the state to parade 6 witnesses who proved the case beyond reasonable doubts and he was found guilty

In mitigation, the convict pleaded for leniency saying that he has a family and children to look after.

However, in his submission, Superintendent Ntaba prayed for stiffer sentence arguing that the offence committed is serious.

Making the ruling, First Grade Magistrate Joram Zebron concurred with the state and sentenced him to 13 years imprisonment with hard labour.

Zebron added that the sentence should act as a lesson to other would offenders.

Yohane Charles is 20 years-old hails from Thopholani village, Traditional Authority Makhuwira in Chikwawa district.