By Patience Longwe and Pickson Chipeso

Lilongwe,21January, Mana: The Senior Resident Magistrate's court sitting in Lilongwe has convicted and sentenced Nasoni Moyenda, 28, to 20 years’ imprisonment with Hard Labour (IHL) for having sexual intercourse with a 10-year-old girl on December 23, 2024.

The court heard from Lilongwe Police Station Prosecutor, Sub Inspector Eugenio Yotamu that the convict committed the offence at around 19:30 hours in a certain church's toilet at Chiuzira Trading Centre.

After having sexual intercourse with the girl, the convict gave the victim K500 as a token of appreciation, and a way of zipping the victim's mouth from spilling the beans.

In court, Moyenda pleaded guilty to the charge of having sexual intercourse with a minor.

In mitigation he asked the court not to send him to prison saying he was misled by a witchdoctor, that he would get rich if he had sexual intercourse with a virgin of such age, adding he was also a first offender.

In its submission, the State prayed for stiffer sentence citing the seriousness of the offence which attracts life imprisonment as a punishment.

The State also said that the convict who was supposed to protect the victim, opted to have sex with her, thereby subjecting the girl to both physical and psychological trauma.

Passing his sentence, Senior Resident Magistrate Bracious Kondowe, said the girl was forced into a sexual act.

Quashing the convict's mitigating factors, Kondowe emphasized what Kishindo J. said in the case of State v Mfune and Others that; "When people of previous good behavior decide to enter the world of crime in grand style, they should not be surprised when they are met with the full force of the law. The fact that they are first offenders cannot be a good excuse."

Kondowe then sentenced Moyenda, to 20 years’ IHL.

Nasoni Moyenda hails from Wande Village, Traditional Authority Masula in Lilongwe District.