The Senior Resident Magistrate’s court sitting at Chigodi Primary School in Lilongwe, on January 22, 2024 convicted and sentenced Village Headman Mlondora, whose real name is Pitilosi Khote, 40, to 20 years imprisonment for having carnal knowledge of a 13-year-old girl, last year.
According to Lilongwe Police public relations officer Inspector Hastings Chigalu, the court heard through Lilongwe Police Station Prosecution Officer, Assistant Superintendent Richard Kandeya, that the convict committed the offence at around 06:00 hours on June 27, 2023 in a garden after the girl was sent by her parents to source pumpkin leaves for relish.
Kandeya further said that when a certain couple, and another person came to rescue the girl, the village headman became furious, he threatened to decisively deal with them for disturbing him before he could finish carnally knowing the girl.
“Appearing in court, Pitilosi pleaded not guilty to the offence of Having Sexual Intercourse with a Female Child, saying he never ejaculated on the girl. However, he asked for the court’s leniency when passing its sentence saying he is a first-time offender, has family responsibilities, and that he is diabeti,” said Chigalu
In its submission, Kandeya prayed for a 21-year custodial sentence to the convict citing the seriousness of the offence which also attracts a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Passing his sentence, Senior Resident Magistrate Wanangwa Nyirenda, quashed some mitigating factors saying at 40 years, the convict was older enough to know the consequences of having carnal knowledge of a child under the age of 18.
Nyirenda concurred with the State on the rampant of defilement cases, saying they continue to cause trauma to victims. He also said that life imprisonment was set for a reason to protect children, and punitive sentences helps to deter other would be offenders.
He then went on to slap Pitilosi with a 20-year imprisonment with hard labour.
“The actual sentencing of the convict took place close to the village where he committed the offence at open ground, deliberately to allow people from surrounding places to patronize the event and follow the conclusion of the case.
“The court’s mobility from Lilongwe City to Tolela Village in Traditional Authority Mazengera (Nkhoma), for the sentencing was made possible with assistance from the World Vision Malawi Office,” said Chigalu
