Mzuzu Magistrate Court have convicted and sentenced a 25 year old man , for rape and robbery, contrary to section 133 and 301(2) of the penal code respectively.
State Prosecutor Sub Inspector Chikondi Lipato identified the convict as Mark Tembo and told the court that the convict committed the offences on 17 May 2022 at Chibavi west around 10 AM.
According to Lipato, the convict knocked on the door of the victim’s house where he asked for water to drink. Suddenly, he produced a knife and started threatening the girl who was in the house.
The Court further learnt that the convict dragged the girl into the house, tied her to the bed, squeezed a cloth in her mouth to prevent her from shouting. He then tore her bra, the trouser and pant and finally rape the helpless girl and stole other assorted items in the house amounting to K 460, 000.
Appearing before court, Tembo pleaded not guilty, which prompted the state to parade three witnesses to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt.
In his mitigation, he said he had already been convicted so he had nothing to say, but he kept saying he did not commit the heinous crimes.
In his submissions Police Prosecutor prayed for a stiffer punishment saying that Mark Tembo was not remorseful, the rights of the girl were infringed, there is psychological trauma in her life, brought shame to her life making her possibly not to trust any man and he is a threat to society.
The Court through Senior Resident Magistrate Issah Maulidi, concurred with the state and slapped Tembo with 21 years imprisonment for rape and 21 years imprisonment for robbery to run concurrently.
The sentence was delivered to deter other would be offenders.
Mark Tembo hails from Kapindi, Traditional Authority Mtwalo in Mzimba district.
