Man jailed 58 years for sexual abuse of 3 underage girls: Malawi activists welcome lengthy ‘precedent’ sentence
A 41-year-old man has been jailed to a lengthy cumulative 58 years for a string of child sex offences against three young girls between 2016 and 2019- the punishment which has pleased women activists pleading for stiff punishment for sexual offenders.
High Court in Mzuzu handed the sentence to Thomas Chavula. But Judge Thomson Ligowe in his November 6, 2020 determination said the sentences will run concurrently, meaning that Chavula will be behind bars for 24 years.
The full charges were three counts of sexual assault of a 11-year-olf stepdaughter between 2016 and 2019; defilement of a three-year-old girl in March 2019, who was a daughter to his neighbour, while the third count, Chavula defiled a nine-year-old girl his tenant’s daughter, in August 2019.
“Regarding the first count, Thomas Chavula defiled the girl repeatedly over a period if three years from the age of nine to 11. In the instance mentioned by the girl. He used a deceptive tact to get her into his bedroom. The girl was injured in her private parts.
“At the age of 41, he was old enough to appreciate the consequences of his acts. Considering that he defiled three girls in his vicinity, it seems some kind of habit had developed in him,” reads the ruling in part.
Judge Ligowe said the convict Chavula is, therefore , “dangerous to society.”
Ligowe said: “He [Chavula] should be kept away for a long time. I order imprisonment for 24 years with hard labour.”
For defilement of a three-year-old girl, Ligowe slapped Chavula with 18 years imprisonment with hard labour while the defilement of his tenant’s nine-year-old daughter, he was handed a 16-year-jail sentence.
Ligowe said for the sentences to run consecutively, he would spend 58 years in jail which he observed would be “tantamount to inhuman and degrading treatment” and ordered the sentences to run concurrently.
Women Legal Resource Centre executive director Maggie Kathewera Banda has welcomed the sentence, saying the judge has set a precedence and must be commended.
Elsewhere, Chitipa Magistrate’s Court has sentenced a 35-year-old man to 14 years imprisonment for defiling a 14-year-old girl in the district.
State prosecutor Kanyumbu told the court that the convict has an affair with the girl in 2018.
He said the accused impregnated the girl in 2019, forcing her to drop out of school while in Standard Eight. The accused denied the charges, but the State paraded three witnesses to prove the case.
In a related development, the court also sentenced a 19-year-old man to seven years imprisonment for defiling a 15-year-old girl in the district.
On November 3, Association of Women in Media (Awome) members took to the streets to protest the rising cases of sexual violence against women and girls. They handed over a petition to government demanding stiff punishments for offenders.
And on Monday November 16 during a join match, Women Doctors Association , Women Manifesto Movement and Malawi Feminists Alliance called for a constitutional and institutional review to ensure stiffer punishment to sex offenders following escalating cases—Additional reporting by Bishop Witmoss, Mana.
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Anyone stating that the cause of rape and defilement is because of dressing just know you are declaring yourself as a rapist. A rapist of babies. This article says the victims are as young as 3yo. Your stupid comment defending the rapist means you are aroused by a 3yo. How does a 3yo dress to arouse you?
I’m disappointed the sentence is concurrent. Let this animal finish his life and die in prison. He’s a danger to children. Even in old age children will not be safe around him.
I do not condone this inhuman behavior of abusing women and girls, however lets focus on the root cause. The way our women dress nowadays leave a lot to be desired. Dress up please to avoid inviting men. Women are literally walking naked these days, dress up. We are slowly becoming westernized, we have totally lost our morals as a country. Dress up, dress up, dress up!!!!!!
How does a 3 year old dress to provoke being assaulted? Sometimes this type of thinking just shows how primitive you are!
This article says the victims are children. You are aroused by a child? You are paedophile. It’s not women and how they dress that causes rape. Why do you manage to control yourselves when foreign women in this country are dressing in shorts in shoprite? Why do other men in other countries control themselves and the women in those countries walk around in short clothes? Are you weaker men than them? God made you able to control yourself. You can control yourself. You don’t want to because you are a rapist and you want to control women and threaten them… Read more »
Westernised? Before the foreigners arrived to colonise us we were dressed in less and people had morals to behave. There were laws and practices then to root out and punish paedophiles or rapists. Stop making excuses.
Zachepa zakazo. He deserved a Life Imprisonment
Even if 100 years, defilement will still be there. The women and girls should also understand the nature of men. This thing of walking naked should stop. Men, wake up
Why is that a chipatala don’t need a police report from all under 16 girls poyamba sikelo. I think if we can do that all boys and men will be afraid sleeping with under age girls thereby ending defilements. There are so many under 16 girls falling pregnant which means defilement is rampant but since communities chose who should go to prison and who should not we are sort of encouraging this habit. For example where i stay 3 under 16 schools have fallen pregnant but look what has happened: 1 has been married off, the other the boy friend… Read more »