By Joel Phiri
Mzimba, March 7, Mana: Mzimba First Grade Magistrate Loness Gumbo on has sentenced 51-year-old Musa Ali Phiri to five years’ imprisonment with hard labour for abducting and indecently assaulting two girls at Jenda Trading Centre in the district.
According to Jenda Police spokesperson Mcfarlen Mseteka, Phiri abducted the girls, both aged six (and were from Phiri’s neighboring family), on August 15, 2023 at around 6 am and held them hostage up to 1 am the following day.
“The convict took the minors to an unknown place where he started fondling their private parts after he lied to them that he will buy the girls snacks.
The girls revealed the ordeal to their parents who reported to police, leading to the arrest of the convict,” said Mseteka.
Mseteka said Phiri pleaded not guilty to the charges in court, but the state, through police prosecutor Reverend Gondwe, paraded five witnesses to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt.
Before he was sentenced, the accused asked the court for clemency, saying he was a bread winner for his family and that his two wives would suffer if he is jailed.
In her judgment, Magistrate Gumbo said assault and abduction were contrary to sections 136 (1) and 135 of the penal code respectively and therefore jailed Phiri to five years’ imprisonment with hard labour.
The convict Phiri hails from Mpunga Village in the area of Traditional Authority (TA) Kawinga in Machinga District.
