By Chisomo Phiri
The High Court of Malawi in Blantyre on Thursday increased the sentence of a man convicted of defiling his five-year-old biological daughter from 21 years to 40 years with hard labour.
Justice Chiwemwe Kamowa deemed the initial sentence from a lower court as insufficiently stringent and deterrent.
He expressed grave concern regarding the nature of the crime, highlighting the betrayal of trust and psychological trauma inflicted upon the victim.
“A father is expected to be a guardian, a protector, and a source of safety for his child.The actions of the convict have shattered this trust, leaving his daughter psychologically traumatized.This court must send a strong message to would-be offenders. Such offences will not be tolerated,” Kamowa admonished.
Senior State Advocate Abdul Limbe from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had earlier argued for a harsher punishment.
The convict was represented by the Legal Aid Bureau(LAB) .
