Mzuni Graduate jailed 10 years for Defilement

The First Grade Magistrate court in Rumphi sitting at Kazuni on Wednesday August 23 2023 has convicted and sentenced Francis Kagomo 26 a Mzuzu University Graduate for having sexual intercourse with a child at Kazuni area.

The court through state prosecutor Sub Inspector Malumbo Jere heard that; The convict encountered the victim early June this year and proposed her for a love affair and she accepted the proposal.

The same month the convict secretly went to the victim’s parents home where he took the victim to his house where they had a chat. In the evening of the day around 18:00hrs, Kagomo escorted the victim back to her parent’s home.

On their way, Kagomo told the victim to follow him into the bush where he had sexual intercourse with her.

Later the victim left the place, leaving the suspect at the scene. She never disclosed the ordeal to anyone at home.

After some week, she developed some sickness that needed medical attention.
The victim’s parents were skeptical of their daughter’s health wellbeing as she was frequently vomitting.

Upon questioning her, that when she revealed that she has missed her monthly period after having sex with Kagomo.

The matter was reported to Rumphi police station by the victim’s parents where a medical report was issued. Upon examination at Rumphi district hospital, it was discovered that the victim was six weeks pregnant.

By the time ,Kagomo was at Mzuzu and later he was arrested on August 12 this year.

He was charged with with the offence of having sexual intercourse with a child contrary to section 138 of the penal code on which he pleaded guilty and the court eventually convicted him.

In his submission,state prosecutor Sub Inspector Malumbo Jere prayed for a stiffer punishment against the convict saying that, he planned to molest the victim by enticing her to his home and that being not a mere person as he was in college hence he would have known the laws, and his duty would have been of protecting the victim (who is in standard 7) from sexual harassment instead he choose to violate her rights.

On his mitigation ,the culprit pleaded for leniency and that he did not know the new law and also being a first offender.

Passing sentence, The first grade magistrate Cuthbert Phiri, applauded with the submission from both parties and he slapped the culprit with 10 and half years imprisonment with hard labour.

Francis Kagomo hails from Chendausiku village under Traditional Authority Nsamala in Balaka District.