Man jailed eight years for sex assault

Ntcheu First Grade Magistrate Court on Friday sentenced a 45-year-old man, Robert Kameza to 8 years Imprisonment with Hard Labour (IHL) for raping an 18-year-old woman in the district.

The convict committed the offence on May 4  2018, the court was told.

According to the evidence tendered in court, on the fateful day, the victim was sent by her mother to charge a cell phone at Ntcheu trading centre, and while there, she got carried away with the traditional dances that were being performed around the trading.

“The victim never observed time, to the extent that she found herself caught within the thick of the night. It was too late for her to start off home, and was fully convinced, that trying to get back home at that time of the night, was extremely dangerous,” State prosecutor Inspector Evans Kamtukule told the court.

Having found herself in such a dilemma, she then gathered some courage and resorted to knocking different houses looking for good Samaritans who could offer her accommodation.

“One woman came to her rescue and offered her a place to sleep in a kitchen, and she was all alone. All this time, the accused person, who was also sleeping alone in a nearby house, was following keenly following the arrangement.”

Same night, the accused went to the victim’s dwelling place and ordered her to follow him to his house. He threatened her not to shout.

“The victim was forcibly taken to the accused’s house, mouth tied using a piece of cloth and she raped several times,” added Kamtukule.

It was during the same night that her relations started searching for her. Lucky enough, their search took them to the house of the woman who offered a place to sleep. Surprisingly, she was not there.

“They continued to search for her until she was found in the accused’s house. When they knocked on his door, he came out with a panga knife and started threatening the victim’s relations. Though completely naked, the victim managed to come out of the house.”

Kameza was arrested and was handed over to Senzani Police Unit.

In mitigation, he pleaded for forgiveness, claiming that he looks after his elderly and frail mother.

First Grade Magistrate, Crispin Sachulula highlighted that the accused took advantage of the vulnerability of the victim and deserves stiffer punishment.

Both the accused and the victim hail from Kanama village, Traditional Authority Phambala, in the district.

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