A 21-YEAR-OLD ringleader of a notorious drug gang of Malota township collapsed in the Livingstone High Court after being sentenced to 40 years imprisonment with hard labour for gang-defiling a 13-year-old girl in a graveyard. Oliver Sakufiwa of Maramba township in Livingstone was sentenced after conviction for defilement.

Sakufiwa, with four other unknown men, gang-defiled the girl in the graveyard on April 16, 2016. When the matter came up for sentencing, the State advocate told the court that they are in support of the lower conviction of Sakufiwa because he is a first offender. In mitigation, Legal Aid Board lawyer Adinas Banda said her client deserves leniency from the court.

Ms Banda said Sakufiwa has taken time to reflect on his life and is deeply remorseful for his actions. She said Sakufiwa has also realised that a life of  crime does not pay and wants to be a law-abiding citizen. “He is at your mercy my lady, his passionate plea is that may the court exercise maximum leniency,” Ms Banda said.

In sentencing Sakufiwa, High Court Judge Chilombo Maka-Phiri said she considered the mitigation by the defence lawyer. “The records show aggravating factors, where the convict led four other people in defiling the girl. “They all took turns in defiling her in the graveyard. This act is extreme in my view because after the other four defiled the girl, he [Sakufiwa] also defiled her,” she said.

Judge Phiri said based on the factors aggravating the matter, the right punishment needed to be enforced. “I hereby sentence you to 40 years imprisonment with hard labour. You are informed of your right to appeal to the Court of Appeal,” she said. After being sentenced, Sakufiwa collapsed and was resuscitated by Livingstone Correctional officers. Safikuwa was given 15 minutes to recover from what