Dedza Magistrate’s Court yesterday sentenced Neverson Champhala, 24, to 13 years imprisonment for sodomising a five-year-old boy.
Dedza Police Station spokesperson Edward Kabango said the State, represented by police prosecutor Tedson Namaona, told the court that Champhala committed the offence on July 23 this year at Kalonga Village in Traditional Authority (T/A) Kaphuka in the district.
He said that at around 3pm on the said date, Champhala found the victim playing with his friend and asked him to follow him saying he wanted to give him a gift. He instructed the other boy to remain where he found them until his friend returns.
However, after waiting for some time, the other boy followed the two and found Champhala in the act of sodomising the boy in the bush. The boy reported the matter to the victim’s parents.
Chimphala was arrested and pleaded guilty to the charge of sodomy which is contrary to Section 153 of the Penal Code.
A medical report showed that the boy was indeed sodomised.
In mitigation, Champhala pleaded with the court for leniency, saying he did not know that he was committing an offence.
But passing the sentence, magistrate Anthony Banda said the conduct by the convict has no room in the society. He further said it was ideal for the court to give a stiff sentence to deter would-be offenders.
Champhala comes from Tchailodi Village in the T/A Kaphuka in Dedza.
