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Mangochi Senior Resident Magistrate’s Court on Monday, June 7, 2021, convicted and sentenced Patrick Bannet, 73, to 12 years Imprisonment with Hard Labour (IHL)/for defiling a 13-year-old girl.
During court proceedings, Mangochi Police Prosecutor, Sub Inspector Maston Chitsonga, told the court that, both the victim and the accused stay in the same compound. On the night of April 17, 2021 the victim went out to release herself in readiness to go to bed.
In the process, the accused emerged from his house and found her under the masawu tree passing urine.
Police narrated that the accused grabbed and forced the little girl down and defiled her. He used his hands to cover her mouth so that she could not scream and also threatened to deal with her if she would reveal it to anyone.
Prosecutor Chitsonga added that the victim’s brother, who is her guardian, became suspicious since the girl took a longer time than expected. He also discovered violent marks on the victim’s neck and pieces of grass on the back of her head.
After quizzing her, she narrated the ordeal to him and he reported the matter at Mangochi Police Station where a medical report form was issued and the results from Mangochi District Hospital confirmed that Bannet had carnal knowledge of the child.
Appearing in court, the accused person pleaded guilty to the charge.
According to Mangochi Police deputy publicist, Amina Daudi, in mitigation, the old man asked for the court’s leniency, saying that he is too old to go to prison, but the State quashed his plea, arguing such cases are on the increase despite Government and stakeholders relentlessly working towards ending gender-based violence on the girl child.
When passing judgement, Senior Resident Magistrate Joshua Nkhono concurred with the State and sentenced him to 12-years IHL to serve as a lesson to him and other would-be offenders.
Bannet hails from Ndindi Village, Traditional Authority Kachindamoto in Dedza District.
