Internet cafe boss arrested for touching girl’s breasts
The Blantyre Magistrates Court on Monday gave bail to Willard Mustaf Banda after spending one week on remand at Chichiri prison for sexually assaulting an underage girl.
Banda, who resides at Soche Hill quarry area in Blantyre, was arrested last week on reports that he indecently assaulted a 10 year-old girl (name withheld).
The girl, according to information presented in court by two state witnesses, was computer student at Banda’s internet café. The witnesses also told the court that Banda indecently assaulted the girl by touching her breast.
“It happened on May 11, 2012, when girl who happens to be my sister went to Banda’s café for her computer lessons. However, just some minutes I saw her coming home crying, and when I asked, she said Mr. Banda was touching her breast.
“Since our mother was in Ntcheu, I decided to seek help from our neighbour’s two sons who later decided to go and confront Mr. Banda. And upon returning, they told me that the accused had accepted to have done the act,” explained first witness Dorothy Philemon Walani.
And the second witness Simon Mawanga concurred with Walani’s testimony, adding that Banda justified his conduct, saying he was trying to give advice to the girl.
“When I confronted Mr. Banda, while accepting to have touched the girl’s breast, he justified his motive; saying was only trying to advice the girl to desist from allowing boys touching her breast just like other girls do,” said Mawanga.
However, in cross examination Banda who had pleaded not guilty to the charge, wondered why no other person plying their trade around his café noticed the incident; worse still noted the girl’s cry.
T he alleged perpetrator then pleaded with the court to grant him bail, saying he has family to fend and orphans to take care of.
And Magistrate Innocent Nedi despite the state’s resistance from granting the accused bail, provided one regarded that Banda should pay a bail-bond of K7,500 and provide two sureties.
The case is expected to resume next week when the state will parade three more witnesses.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
