Senior Resident Magistrate Abdulrahaman Maulidi sitting in Mzimba from Mzuzu has acquitted Mzimba based Ministry of Information journalist Jeremiah Mphande, 42, who was answering a defilement charge.

Delivering the ruling, Maulidi said there was no evidence to show that Mphande had defiled his wife’s niece, 15.

The Magistrate added that, on 24th January 2021, the wife of the suspect( Mirriam Banda) only found her husband and the victim in the same room and there was no clear evidence to prove that the two had sexual intercourse.

He has quashed aside a medical report from Mzimba District Hospital saying it lacked merit as it did not show clearly that sexual penetration occurred.

Lawyer for Mphande, Gilbert Khonyongwa says they expected the ruling as evidence brought before court was clear about his client’s innocence.

State Prosecutor Isaac Imedi says the ‘shocking ruling’ is due to the witnesses ( wife and the victim) turning hostile in court by contradicting their initial statements.

Source:Rainbow