Kalulushi man jailed 35 years for rape

By JOSSY CHAIMA

THE Kitwe High Court has jailed a 22 year old man of Kalulushi to 35 years imprisonment with hard labour for raping a 55 year old woman.

John Mwansa was charged with one count of rape which he was alleged to have committed on 21 June 2016.

Mwansa who denied the charges but later during his trial accepted to having raped the woman claiming that he was under the influence of alcohol .

On the fateful day thecomplainant was on her way to buy vegetables when Mwansa started following her and offered to show her where to buy vegetables.

Later he proposed love to her which she turned down and this upset him and he grabbed her and raped her.

Appearing before High court Judge Isaac Chali, Mwansa was found guilty of the charges and convicted accordingly .

In his mitigation by his counsel Mwansa said he was remorseful, a first offender and still young and ready to reform.

Judge Chali said he had considered what his lawyer had said in mitigation but refuted Mwansa’s claim that he was acting under the influence of alcohol.

He said his actions of following the woman for a long distance enticing her and showing her where to buy the vegetables showed that he was sober.

"At your age the woman you raped is as good as your own mother , this is why young people get cursed; how do you even think of raping someone old enough to be your mother, even though you are a first offender your actions were bad and deserve severe punishment " he said.