MAGISTRATE COMMITS FILE TO HIGH COURT FOR SENTENCING

By Linda Likomwa – Mana.

First Grade Magistrate Court in Phalombe Wednesday ordered that the file of Gift Kanyoza, 29 who cut off his 9-year-old biological son’s manhood should be committed to High Court for proper sentencing.

Magistrate, Leonard Mtosa said the man committed the offence on May 22, 2023 but got arrested on the wee hours of June 4, 2023 and later pleaded guilty of the charges of acts intended to cause grievous harm contrary to section 235 of the penal code.

“I have ordered that the file be moved to high court for sentence because here the maximum sentence I might give is 14 years imprisonment, which I feel is not enough for the offence he committed,” he said.

In an interview on Thursday, Child Rights Activist, Memory Chisenga commended the Magistrate court for moving the case to High Court adding there are still a number of cases involving children that needs to be moved to senior court.

She explained: “We still have a challenge to move cases from Magistrate courts to High Court especially those that have been committed in rural areas, so what Phalombe Magistrate Court has done was quite commended looking at the limited number of years the court gives.”

Chisenga said the acts of mistreating children should strongly be condemned and tough punishment to those would be offenders should be awarded.

She said children have a right to protection and called upon parents and guardians to protect children from any harmful environment.

Phalombe Police Spokesperson, Jimmy Kapanja said Kanyoza who was in separation with his wife since 2018 went to victims’ mother telling her that he wants to take the son so that they stay together in Mozambique where he was residing.

“But the mother told him that he should first get permission from the son’s uncle before doing that but later the convict managed to convince victim’s mother that while waiting for the uncle, he wants to take the son to a nearby grocery for other things.

“Instead, he took the son to a stream where the convict managed to strangle the son on a neck before cutting off his manhood and dump him in a bush unconscious,” he said.

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