MAN CONVICTED FOR DEFILING 13-YEAR OLD GIRL

On Friday, 16th May, 2025, Santini Chilenga was convicted by Resident Magistrate Honourable C. Hampungani for the offence of Defilement and has since been referred to the High Court for sentencing. Brief facts of the matter are that on the fateful day, the child victim aged, only 13years, accompanied her elder sister aged 16 years, to go and meet the Convict at his residence in Banda Masautso, located within Old Kanyama Compound. While at the house, the Convict, a 29 year old, requested to have sexual relations with the victims 16 year old sister ’, who declined this inappropriate request.

After her refusal, the Convict took the 16 year old girl with him to a nearby store and later left her by the roadside and went back to his place of residence where the child victim had remained with the Convicts cousin.. The Convict took the child victim to his room where he proceeded to strangle her on the neck. He then pushed her onto the bed and defiled her.

After committing this heinous act, the Convict threatened the child victim and told her not to tell anyone or else he was going to kill her. When the child victim’s elder sister arrived back at the house, she attempted to open the door twice but the Convict leaned against the door and prevented her entry.She eventually pushed through and entered the room, where she found the victim panting, ‘as though she had been running’ is how she recounted it in court.

As they were heading back to their home, the child victim told her sister what had transpired , but the elder sister was cautious of the Convict’s presence just behind them, and informed the child victim to hold off until they arrived safely at home.

At their home, the child victim was so affected by the whole ordeal that she failed to eat supper. This prompted the mother to ask if anything was wrong, the child victim then explained that she had been defiled. Upon hearing this, her mother checked the child victim’s genital area and discovered what appeared to be semen and bruises. The matter was then reported to the Police where investigations led to the arrest of the Convict and subsequent prosecution.

At the close of the Prosecution’s case led by Senior Public Prosecutor Mrs. Grace Katoka-Muhumpu, Honourable Hampungani found the Convict with a case to answer and placed him on his defence.

The Convict in his defence stated that the charges against him were fabricated because he refused to give the child victim and her sister money.

His defence could not absolve him of his crimes, however, and it was established that the prosecution had proved their case beyond reasonable doubt, with him being convicted as a result.