Kasungu, March 8: The Kasungu First Grade Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday sentenced a man to 11 years imprisonment with hard labour (IHL) for defiling his 11-year-old employer’s daughter.

Kasungu Police Public Relations Officer Sub Inspector Edwin Kaunda identified the convict as Kalinda Phiri (23) of Chagunda Village, Traditional Authority (TA) Kambwiri in Salima district.

According to Kaunda, the court heard that the incident occurred at Chipolopolo Village in Senior Chief Chulu’s area at around 8 p.m. on January 1, 2013.

The convict was working as a tenant at a tobacco estate belonging to the victim’s mother a Mrs.  Banda.

“He called the girl into his house and when she refused he decided to push her into the kitchen where he defiled her. The girl kept crying for help but there was nobody around to rescue her and Kalinda only released her after he was done defiling her,” explained Kaunda.

Medical examination carried out on the girl at Chulu Health Centre where she was rushed to confirmed the defilement.

Police arrested Kalinda on January 2, 2013. He pleaded guilty to defilement when he appeared before First Grade Magistrate Hens Kantchere on Wednesday, March 6.

According to Kaunda, State Prosecutor Sub Inspector Hellings Mkandawire, prayed to the court to consider meting out stiffer punishment on the convict describing him as ungrateful servant who instead of showing appreciation to his employer decided to harm her daughter.   

“The convict has shown that he is a man who cannot appreciate what someone has done to him. The Banda’s gave him employment but he decided to thank them by defiling their daughter,” Kaunda quoted Mkandawire as saying.

He said First Grade Magistrate Kantchere concurred with the state and proceeded to slap the convict with 11 years IHL saying others with similar evil behavior should learn a lesson.

Earlier on Tuesday First Grade Magistrate Kingsley Buleya sentenced 31-year-old Frank Phiri of Kaning’a Village, TA Chilowamambe in the district to seven years IHL for defiling a 10-year-old girl while she was asleep. 

The court heard that Phiri committed the offense on January 20, 2013 at around 11 p.m. The girl was asleep in her parents’ house at Kasumba Village in the area when Phiri sneaked into the house, undressed her and started defiling her.

Feeling pain in her private parts the girl is said to have woken from her sleep only to find Phiri on top of her.

According to Kaunda the girl’s efforts to shout for help proved futile as her assailant is said to have pinned her hard on the neck such that she could no longer manage to shout.

A medical report at Chamwabvi Health Centre where the girl was rushed to after the ordeal indicated that defilement had occurred.

Meanwhile, Phiri is said to have run away after the act but was arrested the following day on charges of defilement. He pleaded not guilty to the charge when he first appeared before the court on January, 23 forcing Magistrate Buleya to call for witnesses.

On Tuesday, March 5 the State through prosecutor Sergeant Nyozani Kutepeka paraded four witnesses and after full trial the court convicted Phiri of defilement.