The Senior Resident Magistrate Court in Mangochi on Thursday convicted and sentenced Emmanuel Fred, 23, a choir master at Abraham Church in Ntcheu to 11 years imprisonment with had labour for defiling a 15-year-choir member.
The court learnt through Mangochi Police Station, prosecutor Inspector, Amosi Mwase that Fred committed the offence on April, 13, this year at Kateza Village, in the area of Traditional Authority Makwangwala in Ntcheu, closer to Mangochi policing area.
“He kept the victim almost four days in his house where he defiled the girl without giving her food,” Mwase said.
Fred pleaded not guilty to defilement charges and this prompted the state to parade two witnesses who testified against him beyond reasonable doubt.
Mwase asked the magistrate to give Fred stiffer penalty to deter would be offenders saying cases of defilement are increasing such that this since the start of this year police has so far recorded 24 cases of defilement.
In mitigation the convict asked the court for leniency stating that he was the first offender and he looks after his grandmother and his entire family.
When passing judgment, Senior Resident Magistrate, Rodrick Michongwe said the convict knew what he was doing since he is a church choir master.
The magistrate added that Fed was supposed to give proper guidance to the church members and be a good example as a Christian as opposed to being involving in such immoral behaviour.
He therefore sentenced Fred who comes from Bulaki Village in the area of Traditional Authority Makwangwala in Ntcheu to 11 years imprisonment disregarding his plea for leniency.
Source:Kulinji
