Thyolo Court Sentences Man to 48 Months for Attempted R4pe
Published on December 18, 2025 at 8:33 AM by Evance Kapito
The Thyolo Magistrate’s Court has sentenced 20-year-old Gift Gusto Banda to 48 months imprisonment with hard labour after finding him guilty of attempting to rape a Form 3 student in the Thowera area of Luchenza Township, Thyolo district.
State Prosecutor Dyson Mozhent told the court that Banda ambushed the girl three times as she was returning from the garden, attempting to force himself on her. During the final attack, Banda pulled her to the ground, but she was rescued by a passerby who heard her cries for help.
Banda pleaded not guilty to the charge, which prompted the State to bring four witnesses to testify against him.
In delivering the sentence, Senior Resident Magistrate Samai Muhammed stated that the custodial sentence was necessary because Banda had clearly intended to rape the victim—a young student whose safety and future were put at risk by his predatory actions.
The ruling underscores the court’s firm stance against gender-based violence and sends a clear message on the protection of women and girls in the community.
