Duo gets life sentence over defilement

RUKWA: THE Nkasi District Magistrate’s Court in Rukwa Region has sentenced two people to life imprisonment each after they pleaded guilty of defiling minors aged between four and nine years old.

They committed the crime in September last year on separate dates and locations. Cleophus Sumanga (45), a resident of Katongolo Village, was accused of defiling a minor girl aged nine years old.

He pleaded guilty of committing the offence but prayed for lenient sentence, saying he committed the crime after he was deceived by a traditional doctor that by carrying out the act he would become rich.

The minor is a Standard Two pupil studying in one of the schools located along the shoreline of Lake Tanganyika in Kipili Ward.

Prosecuting, State Attorney Irene Mwabeza assisted by Cedric Mashauri told the court during hearing of criminal case that Sumanga committed the crime on September 2023 at Katongolo Village.

Ms Mwabeza told the court that Sumanga defiled the minor repeatedly at the banana farm whenever the pupil was on her way back from school.

In the same court, Kelvin Punga (23), a resident of Kalundi Village was sentenced to life imprisonment after he pleaded guilty of defiling a minor aged four years old who is a pre-primary school pupil.

The prosecution side led by State Attorney Ms Mwabeza told the court during hearing of the criminal case that Punga committed the offence on September 05, last year.

Evidence tendered in court revealed that Punga committed the crime at a neighbouring Kalundi village where the victim went to visit her sister.

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He pleaded guilty of committing the crime after which Nkasi District Magistrate Adam Mwanjokolo sentenced him to serve life imprisonment.

However, Punga prayed for lenient sentence, saying it was the devil who lured him into committing the crime and that he was a reformed Christian.

Magistrate Mwanjokolo appealed to family members to take necessary steps to protect their children and ensure that they get proper upbringing and should enrol them in school.

“Some of the children were neglected forcing them to live in streets begging while others were not attending school. Investigations revealed that major perpetrators include relatives and neighbours,” he said.

Article 19 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) 6: states…. Parties shall take all appropriate legislative, administrative, social and educational measures to protect the child from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse.