Man gets 7-yr jail for raping mother-in-law

Lilongwe First Magistrate’s Court on Friday sentenced Lyson Kumbale, 48, to seven years imprisonment with hard labour (IHL) for raping his 80-year-old mother-in-law.

According to the Police Prosecutor, on the night of June 7 2011, Kumbale offered his mother in-law beer and started sexually abusing her during bed time thinking she was drunk.

The son of Kumbale heard the cry of help in his grandmother's room and when he peeped through the hole on the wall, he witnessed his father romping granny.

The son called his friend, who also called other people to witness what the sexual assault.

Kumbale was first dragged to a local court presided by the Village Headman who referred the matter to police.

A medical examination of the victim, which was tendered in court, confirmed rape.

Kumbale, who hails from Chateka Village Traditional Authority Khonyoni in Lilongwe, pleaded guilty to the charge and was convicted on his own plea.

When the Magistrate asked him if he had anything to say in mitigation before sentencing, Kumbale asked for leniency, saying “these things happen” (zimachitika ).

First Grade Magistrate, H.S Beza refused to take a lenient view, saying the convict committed an abominable and inhuman act of raping his mother-in-law.

He pointed out the lustful act of Kumbale has left an indelible scar, physically and emotionally on the victim.

“Ordinarily, the offence of rape is grave by its nature. More so, when the perpetrator of the crime is a relative; it is all the more grave and warrants a strong, deterrent judicial hand,” said the Magistrate.

The convict has been sent to Maula Prison to start serving his sentence.

Rape in Malawi attracts a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

Nyasa Times 10 Sep, 2011

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Source: http://www.nyasatimes.com/national/man-gets-7-yr-jail-for-raping-mother-in-law/
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