By Chancy Namadzunda:
Golden Peacock Chinese employee, Zhou Zheng Zhong who is being accused of defiling a 15-year-old girl, has pleaded not guilty.
Zhong, who is populary known as Mr Ju was formally charged before the Chief Resident Magistrate Court sitting in Lilongwe.
Zhou is suspected to have been defiling a 15-year- old girl in Area 48, warm heart villa in Lilongwe where her parents used to work for him as cleaners.
According to Lingadzi Police spokesperson, Salome Chibwana, the suspect, popularly known as Mr Ju, is alleged to have been defiling the girl in exchange for K4 000.
Chibwana said the victim’s parents work as cleaners at the suspect’s house.
However, on Tuesday, the State failed to parade witness because, according to State prosecutor Sub-Inspector of Lingadzi police Patrick Mkumbi, they failed to trace the witnesses.
He said they arguing they were chased out of the suspect’s compound after the victim’s father was fired and given K90 000 as payment for the three months he worked for the accused.
Zhong’s lawyer Abison Chitukula re-applied for bail but Chief Resident Magistrate Madalitso Chimwaza rejected the application.
The court noted that the suspect is a man of influence as he faciliated the firing of the victim’s parents while in police custody and asked not to re-apply for bail until the witnesses give their statements.
The case was adjourned to 11 October, this year.
