Underage saves Mpanda boy from jail sentence

MPANDA  District Court in Katavi Region  has  acquitted  one Gerald Gabriel (18) resident  of Kawajense Street  in Mpanda Township who had been charges with making pregnant a 15-years-old school girl.

Reading  the judgment on Friday, the trial  magistrate Mr Chiganga Ntengwa  said Gerald was only 17 years -old contrary when he committed the offence last year.  “The laws forbids sending to jail the culprit because he had not attained 18 years when he committed the office. 

According to the charge sheet the offender was alleged  to have raped and impregnated a school  girl who was living with her uncle in the same area. He committed  the  crime  after  seeing that  all  the occupants  in  his uncle's  house  were absent. 

 Prosecuting , Inspector  of Police, Mr Ally  Mbwijo  told the  court  that despite his convincing  mitigation, the offender deserved a punishment  which would give a lesson not only to  him  but also to  others who commits  such crimes.  

Meanwhile, Mpanda District Court has sentenced John Mwakalebene (24) and Kamili Lugoye (30) both residents  of Kakese village to 60 years in jail after they were found guilty of committing armed robbery.

Trial Magistrate Chiganga Ntengwa said  the prosecution  side had proved its case  beyond  reasonable doubt that the  two  had committed the crime.

Reading  the judgment,  the magistrate said offenders had committed  the  crime  on July 7 last  year when they attacked  one Tija  Silasi  and  robbed  him of 430,000/- in  cash. They also stole two mobile phone handsets  worth of 100,000- each, other valuables all valued at 760,000/-

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