Two men sent to prison over sexual crimes

A mobile court at Mikundi, in Mchinji has sentenced two men to 15 and 16 years respectively for engaging in sexual acts with a minor and committing sodomy in separate incidents.

Mchinji Senior Resident Magistrate Godfrey Nyirenda, in the first ruling, sentenced John Kachiwanda from Sinosi Village, under Traditional Authority Simphasi, to 15 years in prison for sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl.

In the second ruling, 53-year-old Richard Misewu from Ntunga Village, under Senior Chief Mduwa, received a 16-year prison sentence for sodomizing a 10-year-old boy in the iNkosi Zulu area of the district.

Senior Resident Magistrate Nyirenda stated that these sentences aim to deter potential offenders in a district where incidents of child abuse are increasingly prevalent.

Additionally, Tapiwa Shawa, Project Officer for the Girls Empowerment Network (GENET) under the NORAD Framework through Save the Children’s TIKUMA program, mentioned that mobile courts aim to bring justice closer to communities while also raising awareness about child protection laws and their repercussions.