Court Convicts Mchinji Man of Defilement Despite Victim Carrying “19-Year-Old” National ID
Published on January 16, 2026 at 1:48 PM by Evance Kapito
The Mchinji Magistrate’s Court has convicted 37-year-old Ernest Chimpeni of defilement, a case that has exposed the dangerous consequences of falsifying ages during national registration exercises.
Despite the girl involved claiming to be 19 and presenting a National ID showing a 2006 birth date, the court ruled that she was actually a minor, born in 2008.
The court heard that Chimpeni had initiated marriage arrangements with the girl’s family, following traditional protocols by paying a dowry of K30,000 and a chicken. However, the relationship soured when Chimpeni discovered the girl was already pregnant by another man.
When he demanded a refund of his dowry, the girl’s parents reported the matter to the police, leading to his arrest for defilement
In his defense, Chimpeni did not deny the sexual relationship but argued he was misled by the girl’s official documentation. The girl admitted in court that she had falsified her age during the voter registration exercise ahead of the September 2025 General Elections just to qualify to vote.
However, her mother and uncle testified that her true birth year was 2008, making her a minor at the time of the sexual encounters.
Presiding Senior Resident Magistrate Godfrey Nyirenda delivered a stern ruling based on the 2023 Penal Code amendment. The law now stipulates that:
A defendant’s belief that a girl is over 18 is no longer a valid legal defense if the victim is actually a minor.
The responsibility lies with the adult to ensure the partner is of legal age.
Magistrate Nyirenda further issued a strong warning to parents and officials, noting that registering underage children as voters not only breaks electoral laws but exposes minors to exploitation and entangles innocent people in serious criminal cases.
Chimpeni has been remanded in police custody and is expected to be sentenced on Monday next week.
